ROVANIEMI, Finland—Mercedes-Benz engineers are testing heavy-duty eActros trucks here in extreme weather conditions at temperatures down to – 13 F. The sub-zero tests are focusing on measuring factors such as charging properties, sensor robustness and thermal management systems.
"Testing our product range under extreme winter conditions is an essential part of our vehicle development in terms of alternative drives,” says Christof Weber, Ph.D., head of global testing at Mercedes-Benz Trucks. “Haulage companies must be able to rely on our electric trucks in a highly competitive environment at any time of year, just as they are used to from conventionally powered vehicles. For this reason, our test engineers in Finland put the vehicles through their paces for six weeks."
According to Weber, engineers focused on battery properties and how the electric drivetrain performs in adverse weather conditions.
The R&D initiative in Lapland also includes numerous tests on driving and braking properties on surfaces with different levels of grip, such as ice, snow and slush.
