ECF Pro Boulogne-sur-Mer Introduces Battery-Electric Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 for Next-Generation Driver Education

ECF Pro Boulogne-sur-Mer Introduces Battery-Electric Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 for Next-Generation Driver Education

(IN BRIEF) Mercedes-Benz Trucks has supplied France’s first battery-electric driver training truck, the eActros 600, to the ECF Pro Boulogne-sur-Mer training centre in Isques, northern France. The vehicle will be used to help train drivers and logistics companies in operating electric heavy-duty trucks and understanding the practical implications of zero-emission freight transport. The eActros 600 was specially adapted for training purposes with additional seating and instructor controls. The truck features more than 600 kWh of battery capacity, a range of around 500 kilometres under real-world operating conditions and lithium iron phosphate battery technology designed for long service life. The project reflects the growing shift toward electrification in Europe’s freight transport sector and the increasing importance of preparing drivers and fleet operators for battery-electric commercial vehicles.

(PRESS RELEASE) LEINFELDEN-ECHTERDINGEN/ ISQUES/ MONTIGNY-LE-BRETONNEUX, France, 12-May-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Mercedes-Benz Trucks has delivered a new Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 to the ECF Pro Boulogne-sur-Mer training centre in northern France, marking the introduction of the country’s first battery-electric truck dedicated to professional driver training.

Based in Isques, the ECF Pro Boulogne-sur-Mer centre is integrating the eActros 600 into its existing fleet as part of a broader effort to prepare future truck drivers and transport companies for the transition toward electric freight mobility. The initiative reflects the growing role of zero-emission commercial vehicles in Europe’s road transport sector and the need for training programmes to adapt to new vehicle technologies and operational models.

Jean-Marie Sauvage, who operates the training centre together with his daughters Virginie and Peggy, said the freight transport sector is currently undergoing significant transformation and that driver education must evolve alongside it. According to Sauvage, the objective is to familiarize both trainee drivers and transport operators with alternative powertrain technologies as early as possible.

The eActros 600 joins a broader ECF Group training fleet consisting of 28 vehicles, including eight tractor units, distributed across nine training locations. By incorporating an electric heavy-duty truck into its programme, the centre aims to provide practical exposure to battery-electric transport operations and the environmental challenges facing the logistics industry.

Virginie Sauvage said the deployment of the electric training truck allows trainees and partner companies to gain hands-on experience with electric mobility technologies while developing a better understanding of operational requirements, energy management and long-term investment considerations related to electric truck fleets.

To adapt the eActros 600 for driver instruction, Mercedes-Benz Trucks worked closely with bodybuilder Brevet to create a specialised training configuration. Instead of the standard sleeper compartment, the vehicle was fitted with a rear bench seat to accommodate up to four occupants inside the cab. An additional pedal system was also installed on the passenger side, enabling instructors to intervene during training sessions when necessary.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks officially began series production of the eActros 600 at its Wörth manufacturing facility at the end of 2024. Since then, the battery-electric long-haul truck has entered daily operations across more than 15 European countries.

Before commercial rollout, the vehicle underwent extensive real-world testing, including the “eActros 600 European Testing Tour 2024,” during which the truck completed approximately 15,000 kilometres across 22 countries with a gross combination weight of 40 tons. The company also conducted the “European Testing Tour Winter 2025,” covering around 6,500 kilometres through Northern Europe under winter conditions.

The eActros 600 has also received industry recognition after being named “International Truck of the Year 2025” by the International Truck of the Year (IToY) organisation, a jury consisting of 24 commercial vehicle journalists from across Europe.

The truck’s name references its battery capacity of more than 600 kilowatt hours. Equipped with three lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery packs with a combined installed capacity of 621 kWh, the eActros 600 is designed to achieve a range of approximately 500 kilometres without intermediate charging under realistic long-haul operating conditions at a gross combination mass of 40 tons.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks states that intermediate charging during legally mandated driver breaks could allow the vehicle to exceed 1,000 kilometres of daily driving range, depending on available charging infrastructure, driving conditions and route profiles.

The company emphasized that the use of LFP battery technology supports durability and long service life, with the vehicle engineered for up to 1.2 million kilometres of operation over ten years while maintaining more than 80 percent battery health after that period. The eActros 600 is also designed for a gross combination mass of up to 44 tons and can offer payloads of approximately 22 tons within EU regulations when paired with a standard semitrailer.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks recently expanded the eActros product family with additional battery-electric variants based on the eActros 600 platform. Customers can now select from multiple cab configurations, wheelbases, axle setups and battery pack combinations, creating more than 40 base vehicle variants tailored to different transport requirements.

Media Contacts:

Ulrike Burkhart
Spokesperson Mercedes-Benz Trucks Product, Service & eTruck
ulrike.burkhart​@daimlertruck.com
+49 160 861 3757

Katrin Fischer
Spokesperson Mercedes-Benz Trucks Product, Service & eTruck
katrin.fischer​@daimlertruck.com
+49 176 30966698

SOURCE: Daimler Truck AG