Mercedes-Benz Kicks Off Production of eActros 600, Key Milestone for Sustainable Transport

Mercedes-Benz Kicks Off Production of eActros 600, Key Milestone for Sustainable Transport

(IN BRIEF) Mercedes-Benz is set to begin the series production of its battery-electric eActros 600 at the Wörth plant on November 22, 2024, marking a major step in reducing CO2 emissions from long-haul transport. The production of key components for the truck is already underway at the Gaggenau, Kassel, and Mannheim plants, which are responsible for assembling the front box, producing transmission components, and assembling the new e-axle. The eActros 600 is expected to help decarbonize the transport sector, with the first customer vehicles to be registered by the end of 2024. Daimler Truck executives emphasize the importance of expanding public charging infrastructure to support widespread decarbonization efforts.

(PRESS RELEASE) KASSEL/GAGGENAU/MANNHEIM, 19-Nov-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — Mercedes-Benz is set to begin series production of its new battery-electric eActros 600 at the Wörth plant on November 22, 2024. This marks a pivotal moment in the company’s journey toward decarbonizing long-haul transport, with key components for the vehicle now being produced at the Gaggenau, Kassel, and Mannheim plants.

At the Mannheim site, assembly of the front box has started, while Gaggenau is producing essential transmission components such as shafts, wheels, housing parts, and body shell components. Meanwhile, the new generation of the e-axle is being assembled at the Kassel plant. These components, sourced from the three plants, will be integrated into the eActros 600 at Wörth, where the vehicles will be manufactured and registered before the end of 2024.

Dr. Andreas Gorbach, Member of the Board of Management for Truck Technology at Daimler Truck, highlighted the significance of the eActros 600 for reducing CO2 emissions, particularly in long-haul transport, which contributes to two-thirds of the sector’s total emissions. He emphasized that the start of production is a crucial milestone, with Gaggenau, Kassel, and Mannheim playing vital roles in delivering the truck’s essential components. However, he noted that further progress depends on the expansion of public charging infrastructure, which remains a key barrier to widespread decarbonization.

Yariş Pürsün, Head of Global Powersystems Operations at Daimler Truck, explained that the plants are well-positioned for the transition to emission-free mobility, with Gaggenau and Kassel leading the way in the production of components for the e-axle and other electric drive systems. At the Gaggenau plant, the production of key mechanical parts for the e-axle marks a significant evolution as the site shifts towards electric drive technologies. These components are then sent to Kassel, the global competence center for electric drive systems, where the complete e-axle and transmission assembly takes place.

The front box, an essential technology module in the eActros 600, is being assembled at the Mannheim plant. It replaces the space formerly occupied by the diesel engine and houses over 1,000 individual components, including control units and high-voltage parts.

A Look at Mercedes-Benz’s Key Plants
Mercedes-Benz’s plant in Mannheim, founded in 1908, is a central hub for producing engines and high-voltage components for commercial vehicles. The Gaggenau plant, which began operations in 1894, is the oldest automotive plant in the world and now serves as a competence center for electric drive components. The Kassel plant, established in 1969, is Daimler Truck’s global center for electric drive systems and conventional commercial vehicle axles, with a workforce of approximately 2,700 employees.

Together, these three sites are crucial to Daimler Truck’s goal of leading the transition to sustainable and emission-free commercial transport.

About the Mercedes-Benz plants in Gaggenau, Kassel and Mannheim

In 1908, today’s Mercedes-Benz Mannheim plant was founded in Mannheim-Waldhof on the Luzenberg. Over 4,600 employees produce engines and related components for commercial vehicles at the site. It is also Daimler Truck’s competence centre for battery technologies and high-voltage systems, which contributes significantly to the series production of the electrified product portfolio.

The Mercedes-Benz plant in Gaggenau was founded in 1894 as “Firma Bergmann’s Industriewerke in Gaggenau” and is the oldest automotive plant in the world. In addition to transmissions, the site produces planetary and portal axles as well as passenger car components, including torque converters. The Mercedes-Benz plant with over 4,600 employees in Gaggenau is currently developing into a competence center for electric drive components and the assembly of hydrogen-based fuel cell units.

At the Mercedes-Benz plant in Kassel, experience in truck manufacturing goes back to 1925. The Mercedes-Benz plant in Kassel was founded in 1969 as “Hanomag-Henschel-Fahrzeugwerke GmbH” and hast been manufacturing axles for commercial vehicles, among other things, for over 55 years. It is Daimler Truck’s global competence center for electric drive systems and conventional commercial vehicle axles. In pioneering production processes, the approximately 2,700 employees manufacture axles for trucks, buses, vans and passenger cars, as well as cardan shafts and gear sets, among others.

Note for journalists: we have already published further information on the components and locations. You can find it here:

Production start for central eActros 600 component at the Mannheim plant: the front box | Daimler Truck

Production start for central components of the new eActros 600 at the Gaggenau and Kassel plants | Daimler Truck

Media Contacts:

Arnd Minne
Spokesperson Corporate Communications Mercedes-Benz Trucks & Daimler Buses
arnd.minne@daimlertruck.com
+49 176 30912514

Dorothea Freiberg
Spokesperson Mercedes-Benz Trucks Plants Gaggenau, Kassel and Mannheim
dorothea.freiberg​@daimlertruck.com
+49 160 8669616

SOURCE: Daimler Truck AG