Environmentally smart trucks with a high safety level

The environment and safety are the main focus at Mercedes-Benz. “We want to be innovative in all respects,” explains Mattias Nilsson, sales manager for Mercedes-Benz trucks in Sweden.

The German manufacturer presented an exciting line-up of vehicles at its outdoor stand at Elmia Lastbil. Their common feature is new technology. The trucks are continually being equipped with ingenious designs. Two typical examples from very different areas are safety measures to protect more vulnerable road users, and efforts to reduce fuel consumption.

Putting safety first, Mercedes-Benz is launching a system to reduce the risk for accidents between trucks and unprotected road users such as cyclists and pedestrians. The system includes a blind spot assistant that is the first on the market with the ability to detect unprotected road users while the truck is turning. The other part of the system is a fourth-generation automatic braking system with unique features.
“What’s ingenious about it is that the system can predict an individual’s forward motion. If a cyclist or pedestrian is moving out into the road, or even if they are just visibly about to do so, the vehicle will give the driver advance warning,” Nilsson says.

With regard to fuel efficiency, Mercedes-Benz has proven its leading position in the field via a special challenge. The company has toured Sweden and participated in special duels. Hauliers visited by the company were challenged to single out their most fuel-efficient truck and most skilled driver in terms of economical driving. The hauliers were then lent a Mercedes-Benz truck and had to compare the fuel consumption during a two-week test period. The challenge was called the Fuel Duel.
“We’re satisfied with the result – we won 100 duels and only lost one,” Nilsson says proudly.

Mercedes-Benz continues to storm ahead on the development front. Its electric-powered Urban eTruck is a concept vehicle for future heavier distribution operations. The three-axle truck is powered by two three-phase 400-volt motors, each of 125 kilowatts. The 340 hp truck has a total weight of 26 tonnes and offers a 200 km range.

The Urban eTruck was presented verbally and with pictures during Elmia Lastbil but the finished version will not be made public until this autumn.