Italy-based transport company FERCAM takes another important step in view of decarbonization and the use of electric trucks by testing a Mercedes-Benz eActros between Italy and Austria. The South Tyrolean logistics and transport company carried goods from Bolzano to Innsbruck during a whole week of tests, relying on the e-truck that was awarded with the Sustainable Truck of the Year 2023.

The point of contact was the Austrian office of Dachser, FERCAM’s distribution partner in Europe outside Italy. The load amounted to about 6 tonnes of goods each way, with Heinz Lambacher at the wheel, a FERCAM driver for more than 16 years. When the vehicle was handed over to FERCAM on Monday, a Daimler expert conducted the briefing for the staff, providing all the necessary information for the correct handling and driving of the vehicle. 

Electric trucks: the test carried out by FERCAM

“It really is a nice vehicle to drive, and I would have loved to have tested it for an even longer distance. You can really feel that it’s a different engine, the quietest I’ve ever driven… You don’t even know it’s running unless you look at the display! Inside the cab it is very much like an Actros, like the ones that are already in the FERCAM fleet: it is comfortable, spacious, pleasant to drive and also to park”, commented Mr Lambacher.

For the journey it was sufficient to recharge the batteries when loading goods and on arrival, no intermediate stops were necessary. The test was also a perfect combination of innovation and upcycling, as the brand-new tractor has been attached to a mobile case that FERCAM has kept in use for almost 30 years. “Updating the fleet to put low- or zero-emission engines on the road is absolutely necessary, but being authentically sustainable also involves this kind of choice. This old crate of ours is not the most gleaming nor the most modern, but it still does its job very well. By postponing its disposal, we further reduce our environmental impact”, added Branch Manager Johann Harder.

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