Daimler Trucks Buses has announced it has entered a supply agreement with battery manufacturer Contemporary Amperex Technology for lithium-ion battery cell modules.
Contemporary Amperex will supply lithium-ion battery cell modules for a wide range of Daimler trucks and buses’ around the world as the automotive giant gears up to launch its global electric truck portfolio which is set to be introduced ifrom 2021 onwards.
The Daimler range will include the Mercedes-Benz eActros, the Freightliner eCascadia and Freightliner eM2 and the Fuso eCanter (recently tested by Truck and Bus News).
Daimler is doing the development work on the battery systems and will also assemble the battery packs at its Mercedes-Benz Mannheim plant in Germany and at its Detroit plant in the U.S.
“At Daimler we are constantly leveraging our strong technological position and global presence through intelligent platforms and shared modules. We are extending this formula of success to our electric trucks as well, fulfilling our customers’ needs with speed to market and best-available technology. Our E-Mobility Group and the new partnership with CATL are key elements of this approach,” said Dr. Frank Reintjes, head of global powertrain, E-mobility and anufacturing engineering at Daimler Trucks.
The heavy-duty Mercedes-Benz eActros with a range of around 200 km is in intensive customer trials as part of an “eActros innovation fleet” in Germany and Switzerland with the first customer hand over in 2018.
In the United States, the all-electric medium Freightliner eM2 and the heavy-duty Freightliner eCascadia trucks are also in practical customer testing. Around 150 vehicles light-duty Fuso eCanters are already in customer operation in cities around the globe but will not be releaseddown under until more electrical charging infrastructure is available around the country.
