Tobias Wagner, also known as ‘Elektrotrucker’, set off on his round-the-world trip on Sunday at the IAA Transportation in a Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 expedition vehicle. The experienced truck driver and content creator plans to circumnavigate the globe for the first time in about a year using a battery-electric long-haul truck.
The planned route covers approximately 45,000 kilometers through about 30 countries in Europe, Asia, Australia, North America and South America, and is intended to be completed with a maximum of 80 charging stops. The goal of the expedition is to document the performance of battery-electric long-haul technology under a wide variety of geographic, climatic and infrastructural conditions, while also promoting dialogue on the expansion of the charging infrastructure for road freight transport.
Christian Wilz, Chairman of the Executive Board of Mercedes-Benz Trucks Germany, said:When a driver sets off on a round-the-world trip in a battery-electric production lorry, it is more than just a personal adventure. It sends a strong signal about how far the technology has already come. We are delighted that Tobias Wagner has chosen our eActros 600 for this journey. His journey will inspire people far beyond the transport sector about the possibilities of long-distance electric transport, whilst at the same time drawing attention to the progress that still needs to be made in terms of infrastructure.
Tobias Wagner, Elektrotrucker and Content Creator, said:I have been driving battery-electric vehicles on international long-distance routes for several years now and know what is already possible today. With this round-the-world trip, I want to find out just how far we’ve really come. I will visit places where electric mobility has long been a reality, and others where it still faces limitations. It is precisely these experiences that make the journey valuable in advancing zero-emission road freight transport.
Following the official launch in Hanover, the route will take the journey from Germany through the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia and Bulgaria to Turkey. From mid-October, the journey is then set to continue through Central and East Asia, including Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, China, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. Further stops are planned in Australia, the USA and various countries in Latin America. The final itinerary may still change as the trip is being planned.
A Round-the-World Trip as a Practical Test Under Real-World Conditions
The expedition vehicle is based on a standard-production Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 from the Wörth am Rhein plant. To meet the demands of the round-the-world journey, the standard 4×2 flatbed vehicle was specifically upgraded into an expedition vehicle: featuring two spare wheel mounts, single tyres, auxiliary headlights integrated into the sun visor, and a specially developed motorhome body by Bliss Mobil.
DHL, an international logistics company, will provide support for the vehicle transports via the necessary sea routes, particularly between continents.
Tobias also fitted the lorry with its own Alpitronic DC charging station so that, in addition to the existing CCS charging technology with a charging capacity of 400kW, it could also be charged from AC sockets with up to 43kW in specific situations.
Tobias Wagner’s round-the-world trip aims to highlight the potential of battery-electric propulsion technologies in road freight transport through real-world experiences. Through regular reports from the road, meetings with customers, drivers and industry representatives, and the documentation of various operational scenarios, a practical picture of battery-electric long-distance transport on a global scale will emerge.
