Netherlands-based logistics service provider Simon Loos will soon be expanding its electric fleet by no fewer than 75 Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 trucks. This will more than double the food logistics company’s current electric fleet of 60 electric trucks.
The order was completed at the recent IAA Transportation show in Hannover, Germany. With a total of 135 electric trucks, Simon Loos says it will soon have the largest electric fleet in the Netherlands, a fleet already consisting largely of Mercedes-Benz vehicles from Daimler Truck Netherlands.
“’There has been a real partnership between the two companies (Simon Loos and Daimler Truck Netherlands) for decades,” says Tjeerd Tromp, head of Sales at Daimler Truck Netherlands. “Simon Loos has also made a significant contribution to the optimization of the eActros 600 by carrying out practical tests, which will soon be in series production. It is therefore great to see how this collaboration is once again confirmed by an order of this magnitude. This not only shows confidence in our product, but also the fact that electric trucks can currently be fully used in daily practice.”
The first eActros 600 is expected to hit the road in the first quarter of 2025. Most of the vehicles will be used in retail distribution, with charging being performed at the clients’ premises.
“The eActros 600 is a game-changer,” says Wim Roks, a fleet manager at Simon Loos. “Whereas until now we have been able to safely plan about 250 to 300 kilometers per trip electrically, we are going to reach 500 kilometers with these trucks. As a result, the journey distance is no longer a planning restriction for our operation, and we are making a huge leap forward with the integration of electric transport.”
Besides the standard CCS charging socket, which allows the truck to be charged at up to 400 kW, the trucks are supplied with a preparation for MCS (Megawatt Charging System). Once MCS technology is available and standardized for all manufacturers, it will be possible to charge at 1,000 kW. This allows the truck to be charged from 20% to 80% in less than half an hour. The trucks also will be equipped with an e-PTO to allow the refrigeration unit on the trailer to cool electrically.
In summer 2024, Simon Loos became the first company outside Germany to start testing the eActros 600. For this purpose, three professional drivers were specially trained by test engineers from Daimler Truck AG. In just a few months, this test tractor has driven 25,000 kilometers between suppliers and Albert Heijn’s regional and national distribution centers.
Now that the electric fleet is more than doubling, Simon Loos is going to train more employees to drive electric. In collaboration with the Central Bureau for Driving Licences (CBR), Simon Loos has made the necessary additions to the training courses provided for employees.