As a waste collection vehicle, the eEconic can cover almost all inner-city refuse collection routes with just a single battery charge
Frankfurter Entsorgungs- und Service GmbH (FES) was able to put a pre-series vehicle of the eEconic through its paces for several months. Following the successful practical operation, the first six of a total of eight series-production eEconic vehicles were handed over at a joint press event in Frankfurt. FES is the largest disposal company in the Rhine-Main region. The company is owned by 51 percent of the city of Frankfurt and 49 percent by Remondis. The all-electric eEconic celebrated its premiere at the end of May 2022 at IFAT, the world’s leading trade fair for water, wastewater, waste and raw materials management, and went into series production in the second half of 2022.
Joachim Schlereth, Head of Sales and Services Trucks Mercedes-Benz and FUSO Germany: “Thanks to its local CO2 neutrality and low noise emissions, the eEconic is ideal for municipal use with frequent stop-and-go operation. We are delighted that our battery-electric waste disposal vehicle is now part of the FES fleet.”
Dirk Remmert, Managing Director of FES: “The positive experience with the pre-series vehicle and a good portion of trust that has arisen from our long-standing and solid business relationship have encouraged us, as a sustainable waste management company, to supplement our fleet with the series versions of the eEconic. The vehicle also fits perfectly with our operational requirements and our charging concept, in which refuse vehicles are supplied with electricity from the waste-to-energy plant in their depot. We will continue to rely on the strategic partnership with Daimler Truck.”
Fully electric municipal use
For many years, the Econic from Mercedes-Benz Trucks has been the proven vehicle of many municipalities in the waste collection sector. With the eEconic, the company has heralded a new era in this series. The low-floor truck with a permissible gross vehicle weight of 27 tons and the e-axle with integrated drive unit as well as two electric motors is based on the eActros for heavy-duty distribution haulage.
The eEconic batteries consist of three battery packs, each with an installed capacity of 112 kWh and a usable capacity of around 97 kWh]. The electric truck can cover the vast majority of typical Econic refuse collection routes in single-shift operation without intermediate charging. With an anticipatory driving style, electrical energy can even be recovered through recuperation. This is a great advantage, especially in stop-and-go operation for waste collection. The interactive multimedia cockpit installed as standard in the eEconic continuously provides information on the charge level of the batteries, the remaining range and the current and average energy consumption in kWh per 100 kilometers, among other things.
The truck can be charged with up to 160 kW: The three battery packs of the eEconic require just over an hour to charge from 20 to 80 percent at a standard DC rapid charging station with 400 A charging current. Several charging stations from the technology company ABB are available at the FES depot for this purpose. The required electricity is produced in the group of companies. For this purpose, residual waste from Frankfurt and the surrounding districts of Hochtaunus and Maintaunus as well as non-recyclable commercial waste are incinerated at the waste-to-energy plant in Heddernheim, whose shareholders are equally owned by FES and the Frankfurt energy supplier Mainova.
Features for high ride comfort and safety
Proven features of the conventional Econic, which have already been particularly appreciated by customers, can also be found in the eEconic. For example, the low panoramic windscreen of the “DirectVision” cab with its low seating position offers the driver direct visual contact with other road users and provides a very good overview of the road traffic. The coated and heated Thermocontrol windscreen prevents the windscreen from misting up due to the weather, thus increasing the clear view of the traffic area. In addition, the window reduces heating of the interior by the sun’s rays.
The low, back-friendly and joint-friendly entry and exit into the spacious cab with space for up to four people is ergonomically advantageous. The electric drivetrain enables a level cab floor. This also makes it easier to climb through the cab – a particular advantage when the driver wishes to get out of the vehicle via the folding door on the co-driver’s side, away from the traffic. As far as safety equipment is concerned, the eEconic features Sideguard Assist S1R for more safety when turning right, as well as the fifth-generation Active Brake Assist emergency braking system with pedestrian detection. In addition – in accordance with legal requirements – the external Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System for improved acoustic perception by pedestrians or cyclists, for example, comes as standard.
All eight eEconic vehicles used by FES are equipped with a Zöller refuse collection body: the medium X4 22.5 Clean Drive. The Clean Drive body, specially designed for fully electric chassis with high-voltage interface, consists of an electrified collection box (22.3 cubic meters capacity) with two internal electric motors including directly mounted hydraulic pumps, converter and a rectifier.
SOURCE: Daimler Truck
Keyword: Mercedes-Benz Trucks hands over battery-electric eEconic to FES