How Mercedes produces central components for E-truck EACTROS

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How Mercedes produces central components for E-truck EACTROS-central

The German Mercedes-Benz Aggregate works have started the production of central components for the battery-electric powered truck EACTROS. These include the e-axis and the battery packs that are manufactured at the Gaggenau, Kassel and Mannheim locations and mounted. The components are then used in the series production of the EACTROS, which starts in the Mercedes-Benz plant WOrth these days.

“The start of the production of components for the first full-electric series truck with star is of particular importance for us,” says Yaris Pursune, Head of Global Production of Drive Components for Daimler Truck. He stresses that central components for electric trucks are produced at German locations and “highest quality standards”.

Battery packages from the Mercedes-Benz plant Mannheim

In the competence center for emission-free mobility (KEM) in Mannheim, individual battery modules are mounted to complete packages and subjected to a functional test. A standard battery pack for the series EACTROS consists of six individual battery modules. The finished package has a length of just 2.20 meters, is 75 cm wide and 55 cm high. Before creating a ready-to-use package from the modules, the individual modules are set in a first step in a metal housing, then connected to other components such as busbars, control units and cables.

Following the cabling of the high-voltage line rates and the attachment of insulation layers to ensure the highest safety standards. Finally, the so-called electrical / electronic box (I / E box) is attached to the pre-assembled metal housing, which later forms the interface between the battery and the vehicle. The E / E box is also pre-assembled in Mercedes-Benz Werk Mannheim. After a final functional and leak testing of the entire battery pack, the shipment to the Mercedes-Benz plant WOrth.

The e-axis: wearing role for the Mercedes-Benz plant Kassel

The Mercedes-Benz plant Kassel assembles the complete E-axis, consisting of axle bridge, electric motor and switchable gear elements. First, the pre-assembly takes place of the so-called trunk axis, in which, among other, wheel hubs and brake discs are attached to the axle bridge. In parallel, the drive unit including two-speed gearbox is pre-assembled. The gear components required for this are supplied by the Mercedes-Benz plant Gaggenau. After the pre-assembly of the fuselage axis is the “wedding”: The entire drive unit including two-speed gearbox is mounted on the axle. Before preparing the e-axis for shipping, a functional and high-voltage test is still. In particular, electrical safety as well as noise behavior are checked for these test methods.

How Mercedes produces central components for E-truck EACTROS-producesDaimler

The e-axis is built on the same base as the corresponding conventional series. For this reason, it is possible to integrate both manufacturing and assembly processes of the E-axis parallel to the conventional series on existing systems, as Daimler announced. This creates a maximum of flexible and economic production process.

Driving-relevant components from the Gaggenau plant

In the Mercedes-Benz plant Gaggenau in turn, driving-relevant mechanical components and associated housings are manufactured. Particular challenge: The housing components made of steel and aluminum as well as the gear parts must be manufactured maximum precisely, because they are subject to highest accuracy requirements. This is necessary to ensure proper functionality and optimum noise of the e-axis.

The component bandwidth in the Mercedes-Benz plant Gaggenau goes from the smallest planetary gear with an outer diameter of 57 mm, up to the output wheel with an outer diameter of 365 mm and a raw part weight of over 40 kg. In total, ten gear parts and three housing parts are supplied to the Mercedes-Benz plant Kassel, where the further installation of the E-axis takes place.

The Mercedes-Benz Eactros at a glance

The drive unit – an electric rigid axle with two integrated electric motors and two-speed gearboxes – is the technological centerpiece of the EACTROS. This concept offer numerous advantages compared to concepts with a central engine. Thus, the more compact design allows a larger installation space for a higher installable battery capacity, which in turn has a positive effect on the range.

The direct power transfer associated with this concept also offers efficiency advantages over a central motor. According to the two engines, according to Daimler, for a high ride comfort and a high driving dynamics, at the same time, the quiet and emission-free electric drive also allows night deliveries as well as the entrance to inner cities in which there are diesel bans.

How Mercedes produces central components for E-truck EACTROS-e-truckDaimler

Depending on the version of the EACTros, its energy draws out of three or four battery packs, and thus reach a range of up to 400 kilometers. The EACTROS can be loaded up to 160 kW: The three battery packets require a 400A charging current at a conventional DC fast load column with 400A charging current a little more than an hour to be charged from 20 to 80 percent. Thus, the EACTROS is ideally equipped with regard to availability and service provision for daily commitment in distribution.

The German Aggregate Works of Daimler Truck AG

The Mercedes-Benz plant Gaggenau was founded in 1894 as a “company Bergmann’s industrial works in Gaggenau” and is according to Daimler as the oldest automobile plant in the world. With its approximately 6200 employees, it is both the largest employer of the city as well as the largest training company of the region. In addition to driven for all Daimler vehicle sectors, outdoor planetary and portal axes and car transducers are produced at the location.

The Mercedes-Benz plant Kassel was founded in 1969 as “Hanomag-Henschel-Vahrwerke GmbH” and manufactures among other things for more than 50 years of axes for commercial vehicles. The approximately 2800 employees manufacture among other axes for trucks, buses, transporters and cars, as well as articulated shafts and wheelsets. The location in Kassel is one of Europe’s largest commercial vehicle axle works and the largest industrial employer of the city of Kassel.

Mercedes-Benz and Mannheim finally connects a very special story. Here the engineer invended Carl Benz on 29. January 1886 with Patent Number 37435 The first automobile of the world – the Benz Patent Motor Car. In 1908, today’s Mercedes-Benz plant Mannheim was founded in Mannheim-Waldhof on the Luzenberg. More than 4800 employees produce on the site motors and associated components for commercial vehicles.

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2 thoughts on “How Mercedes produces central components for E-truck EACTROS”

  1. Good that now starts series experience and control. It has to be wordfully “experienced” in practice, what is proven. Because the transport industry is tough and everything always has to work. There is no room for newcomers who want to do it differently.

    Reply

  2. At his bus Ecitaro and the solid-state battery Daimler has a problem.

    After the Grand Brand in the SSB bus depot in Stuttgart, there is hardly easy to return to the agenda in German public transport – even though no one was seriously injured seriously. Mercedes-Benz ECITARO electric busts with novel solid state battery are shut down in Stuttgart and Munich for the time being.

    (Source: Eurotransport.DE – 09.10.2021)

    The solid state batteries should be particularly safe.

    Before – since 2018 – the buses had lithium-ion batteries, but then Daimler probably wanted to have solid state batteries and that at this prehistory.

    Now the manufacturer and Daimler supplier “Bluesolutions”, which is Franco-Canadian origin, is not necessarily the best track record for his technology: In the 2010, he equipped hundreds of carsharing small cars in the AutoLib project in Paris, of which 25 for inexpensive reasons (vandalism?) Burned and then the whole fleet was largely scrapped in 2018.

    (Source: Eurotransport.DE – 09.10.2021)

    Maybe Daimler should return to the proven lithium-ion batteries at his bus Ecitaro to the proven lithium-ion batteries.

    Reply

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