Mercedes-Benz Trucks Advances Municipal Waste Logistics With New eActros 400 Delivery

eActros 400 mit mechanischem Nebenantrieb: Mercedes-Benz Trucks liefert Kippsattelzüge an AVG Köln
eActros 400 mit mechanischem Nebenantrieb: Mercedes-Benz Trucks liefert Kippsattelzüge an AVG Köln

(IN BRIEF) Mercedes-Benz Trucks has delivered three battery-electric eActros 400 trucks to AVG Köln for use as tipper tractor units in municipal waste logistics. The vehicles are the first Mercedes-Benz Trucks fitted with a factory-integrated mechanical power take-off, enabling applications that previously required external bodybuilder solutions. The trucks will operate as part of the BELLA project at AVG Köln, transporting incinerator bottom ash within the plant and to nearby processing facilities. They will replace conventionally powered trucks and support efforts to decarbonise waste logistics. AVG Köln is also building a 3,000 m² charging hub with nine commercial vehicle charging stations, powered directly by its waste-to-energy plant. The eActros 400 features two battery packs with a total installed capacity of 414 kWh and uses lithium iron phosphate battery technology.

(PRESS RELEASE) LEINFELDEN-ECHTERDINGEN, 17-Jul-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Mercedes-Benz Trucks has delivered three battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eActros 400 trucks to AVG Köln, where they will be used as tipper tractor units in municipal waste logistics operations.

The vehicles are second-generation eActros 400 models with ProCabin and are the first Mercedes-Benz Trucks to be equipped with a factory-integrated mechanical power take-off. Until now, comparable applications required solutions from external bodybuilders and system suppliers.

The final hydraulic system integration, including the installation of steel half-round tipping trailers supplied by Schwarzmüller, will be carried out by Erkes Nutzfahrzeuge.

Christian Wilz, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Trucks Germany, said the delivery demonstrates that battery-electric drivetrains can meet the requirements of demanding waste logistics applications.

“With the delivery of the eActros 400 for tipper tractor applications, we are demonstrating that battery-electric drivetrains can reliably meet the demands of even the most challenging waste logistics operations,” said Wilz.

He added that the recycling and waste management sector plays an important role in resource protection and keeping valuable materials in circulation, and that Mercedes-Benz Trucks aims to support this mission with emission-free transport solutions.

Sascha Hähnke, Managing Director of REMONDIS Sustainable Services GmbH, said carbon-neutral waste logistics is one of the major future challenges for both municipalities and private companies.

He said public-private partnerships such as AVG can help accelerate implementation by combining expertise and capital effectively.

“With the eActros 400, Daimler Truck provides a practical commercial vehicle solution for an application area that has until now relied exclusively on fossil fuels,” said Hähnke.

The vehicles will be deployed as part of the BELLA project, short for Battery-Electric Emission-Free Truck Logistics for Incinerator Bottom Ash, at AVG Köln.

They will replace conventionally powered trucks and will transport incinerator bottom ash, the residual material produced during the thermal treatment of household and commercial waste. The trucks will operate both within the plant site and between the site and nearby processing facilities.

Alongside the vehicle deployment, AVG Köln is investing in its own electric charging infrastructure. This includes a charging hub of approximately 3,000 square metres with nine charging stations for commercial vehicles.

The charging stations are powered through a direct connection to the company’s waste-to-energy plant.

The Mercedes-Benz eActros 400 is equipped with two battery packs, each offering 207 kWh of capacity, for a total installed battery capacity of 414 kWh. The batteries use lithium iron phosphate cell technology, which is designed for a long service life.

AVG Köln is a public-private partnership between the Stadtwerke Köln Group and REMONDIS. Since 1998, the company has operated Cologne’s waste-to-energy plant, where the city’s residual household waste, non-recyclable bulky waste fractions, and sorting residues from commercial and construction waste are thermally treated.

AVG also operates the Vereinigte Ville landfill site in Erftstadt/Liblar. Through its subsidiaries AVG Ressourcen and AVG Kompostierung, the company manages the processing of construction, commercial and organic waste. It also generates energy from waste.

REMONDIS is one of the world’s leading private companies in recycling, services and water management. The company contributes to environmental and resource protection by recovering raw materials from industrial and household waste, producing recycled materials and converting non-recyclable residual waste into alternative fuels.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks continues to expand its battery-electric truck portfolio. The first-generation eActros for heavy-duty distribution transport was launched in 2021, followed by the eEconic for municipal waste collection in 2022.

Series production of the eActros 600 long-haul truck began at the end of 2024, while the product family was expanded at the end of 2025 with additional variants including the second-generation eActros 400.

From 2026, the eArocs 400 will provide an electric solution for urban construction transport. From the second quarter of 2027, Mercedes-Benz Trucks plans to add the eActros Lowliner, designed for high-volume transport operations.

About AVG Köln
AVG Köln is a public-private partnership between the Stadtwerke Köln Group and REMONDIS. Since 1998, the company has operated the Cologne waste-to-energy plant, where all residual household waste generated in Cologne, non-recyclable bulky waste fractions, and sorting residues from commercial and construction waste are thermally treated. In addition, AVG operates the Vereinigte Ville landfill site in Erftstadt/Liblar. Through its subsidiaries, AVG Ressourcen and AVG Kompostierung, the company manages the processing of construction, commercial, and organic waste. Beyond waste management services, AVG also generates energy from waste.

About REMONDIS
REMONDIS is one of the world’s leading private companies in the fields of recycling, services, and water management. The company makes a significant contribution to environmental and resource protection by recovering raw materials from industrial and household waste, producing recycled materials, and converting non-recyclable residual waste into alternative fuels. Through a public-private partnership with the Stadtwerke Köln Group, REMONDIS is also a shareholder in AVG.

The Mercedes-Benz  Electric Truck Portfolio
Mercedes-Benz Trucks continues to expand its portfolio of battery-electric trucks. Following the launch of the first-generation eActros for heavy-duty distribution transport in 2021 and the eEconic for municipal waste collection in 2022, series production of the eActros 600 long-haul truck began at the end of 2024.
At the end of 2025, the product family was expanded with additional variants, including the second-generation eActros 400. Starting in 2026, the eArocs 400 will provide an electric solution for urban construction transport applications.
Beginning in the second quarter of 2027, Mercedes-Benz Trucks will further expand its offering with the eActros Lowliner, a variant designed specifically for high-volume transport operations.

[1] Nominal capacity of a new battery, based on internally defined boundary conditions. This may vary depending on the application and ambient conditions.

Media Contacts:

Ulrike Burkhart
Truck Product & Defence
ulrike.burkhart​@daimlertruck.com
+49 160 861 3757

Katrin Fischer
Truck Product
katrin.fischer​@daimlertruck.com
+49 176 30966698

SOURCE: Daimler Truck AG