German luxury & commercial vehicle brand Mercedes-Benz has announced that it has successfully completed the testing phase of its battery-powered eActros 600 semi e-truck in harsh summer conditions in Spain. According to the brand’s most recent release, the all-electric long-haul commercial vehicle endured more than a month (five weeks) of rigorous testing in the scorching heat of southern Spain's Andalusia, where temperature sometimes reached a high of 111 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks, the commercial division of the luxury automotive brand, enjoys significant popularity in most of the European jurisdictions, thanks to availability of various efficient models, including both kinds of powertrains – internal combustion engine (ICE) and electric. The trucks are available from the brand’s Actros and Axor series semi-truck lineup.

The Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 e-truck bears a striking resemblance to its ICE-powered counterpart. It has three battery packs that promise a combined capacity exceeding 600 kWh, purportedly delivering a range of nearly 310 miles on a full charge. While it seems to be falling short of the Tesla Semi's claimed range of 500 miles, it is still a substantial achievement.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ Deputy Head of Global Testing, Dr. Konrad Götz, said in a statement that the eActros 600 semi e-truck has mastered the challenging tests both in winter and summer with ease.

Speaking on the topic, Dr. Götz said, “We have subjected the eActros 600 to rigorous testing procedures since last year. After winter testing in Finland in freezing cold temperatures down to minus 25 degrees Celsius and initial tests on public roads, the electric truck now had to prove itself at over 40 degrees Celsius in Spain. The eActros 600 mastered the challenging tests with ease.”

The senior executive also revealed that the company is now preparing to test the all-electric commercial vehicle in real-life operations with selected number of customers in the next step. Thus far, Mercedes-Benz engineers have meticulously tested the e-truck’s battery's thermal management, fast-charging capabilities, and the functionality of the air conditioning system in low and high-temperature conditions.

The battery pack of the truck features lithium-iron phosphate cells, which are known for their longevity and comparatively greater energy utilization. As per the manufacturer’s claims, the e-truck’s battery pack can rapidly charge from 20 per cent to 80 per cent of its full capacity within merely 30 minutes with the help of a one-megawatt charger. For propelling the heavy commercial vehicle, the manufacturer has fitted it with an e-axle equipped with two electric motors that collectively produce a striking peak output of 815 horsepower.

Formerly referred to as the eActros LongHaul, the e-truck is slated to make its global debut on 10th of October this year, with its series production expected to commence sometime in 2024.