German truck maker MAN’s new electric eTGX has reportedly achieved first place in what is claimed to be the world’s first comparison test of heavy-duty electric trucks.
The company reports that an international team of test journalists from the trade magazine ‘Trucker’ awarded the MAN eTGX the top score of 568 points after several days of intensive testing, with the test panel declaring the MAN contender as a ‘good overall package’.
The vehicle experts on the test panel said they were particularly impressed by the MAN’s low unladen weight, harmonious drive, comfortable overall set-up and sophisticated operating concept.
‘This comparative test proved that MAN has developed and launched an outstanding product with the battery-electric version of the MAN TGX,’ said Friedrich Baumann, a member of the executive board of MAN Truck and Bus.
Baumann, who is also responsible for MAN sales and customer solutions. said that in addition to the positives that were annunciated in the test, the MAN eTGX and the MAN eTGS scored highly with their modular battery configuration.
“A choice of three to six battery packs is possible and this means that our customers can choose the optimum vehicle configuration in terms of range, payload and charging time for any desired application, from inner-city deliveries to supermarkets to regional building material supplies and long-distance transport,’ Baumann said.
“The MAN eTrucks are just as flexible when it comes to body solutions and the new chassis versions can be highly customised with a variety of wheelbases, cab versions, engine performance classes, loading connection positions and numerous other industry-typical features,” he said.
“With MAN there are over a million configurable eTruck variants that are possible,” Baumann added.
In the tests ‘Trucker magazine tested a volume semi trailer prime mover for long-distance transport, with the eTGX equipped with six nickel-manganese-cobalt battery packs deliver a gross electrical energy of 534 kWh. It is mated to an automated four-speed gearbox, which distributes the 330 kW and 1150 Newton metres of torque from the electric motor to the rear axle.
MAN claimed that it supports customers with its 360-degree eMobility Consulting program in Europe, even before they purchased a new eTruck.
The company also said that in addition to advice on the most suitable vehicle, it says the consulting services also include consideration of customer-specific operating conditions, including cost optimisation, route analysis, fleet optimisation and, building on this, the necessary advice on charging infrastructure.
At the end of the comparison test, the ‘Trucker’ journalists also discussed the most pressing problem in the market breakthrough for battery-electric trucks and addressed it to the political decision-makers in Germany and Europe.
‘The trucks are there, but the nationwide charging infrastructure is still lacking,” the test panel said.