Mercedes-Benz Trucks Plans First Electric Truck Circumnavigation of the Globe – eActros 600 Set for 45,000-Kilometre Tour
Leinfelden-Echterdingen – Mercedes-Benz Trucks is planning the world's first circumnavigation of the globe with a battery-electric long-haul truck, aiming to demonstrate the performance and real-world suitability of battery-electric trucks beyond established European markets. DHL is supporting the tour with international vehicle transport by sea.
Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 Embarks on World Tour Through Around 30 Countries
On Sunday, September 20, the company is starting what it describes as the first circumnavigation of the globe with a purely battery-electric long-haul truck. The tour begins from Mercedes-Benz Trucks' own stand at IAA Transportation in Hannover, using a specially converted eActros 600. At the wheel is long-haul driver and content creator Tobias Wagner, known as "Elektrotrucker". The planned route covers around 45,000 kilometres through around 30 countries on five continents – from Europe via Central and East Asia to Australia, the United States and Latin America – and is to be completed with fewer than 80 charging stops.
The expedition vehicle is based on a series-production eActros 600 from the Wörth am Rhein plant and was modified for the journey, including a motorhome body from manufacturer Bliss Mobil. In addition to the existing CCS charging technology with 400 kW, the truck was fitted with its own DC charging station from Alpitronic, which in special cases also allows charging at AC outlets with up to 43 kW.
"When a driver sets off on a world tour in a series-production battery-electric truck, it is more than an individual adventure. It is a strong signal of how far the technology has already come," said Christian Wilz, Chairman of the Management Board of Mercedes-Benz Trucks Germany.
DHL Secures Sea Transport: Logistics Partner for Overseas Legs
DHL is supporting the tour with vehicle transport by sea between the continents. In addition to the intercontinental shipping of the vehicle, DHL will also handle the dispatch of spare parts along the route.
"At DHL, we are actively shaping the sustainable transformation of road freight transport and are already successfully using alternative drivetrains in daily operations," said Nikola Hagleitner, Member of the Board of Management Post & Parcel Germany at DHL Group.
Wagner has been on the road professionally in battery-electric long-haul transport since 2024. The 33-year-old start-up entrepreneur from Mühldorf am Inn, who previously worked for several years in car charging infrastructure, drives for Lower Saxony-based haulier Nanno Janssen and documents his experiences on YouTube.
"I have been on the road with battery-electric vehicles in international long-haul transport for several years and know what is already possible today. With this world tour, I want to find out how far we really are," said Wagner.
Meanwhile: Federal Government Starts Rollout of Nationwide Truck Fast-Charging Network with Around 4,200 Charging Points
While truck driver Tobias Wagner tests international real-world suitability, the federal government has given the go-ahead for implementing a nationwide fast-charging network for battery-electric trucks. At an initial 124 unmanaged Autobahn rest areas, the contracted companies are starting site-specific planning, after Autobahn GmbH awarded the contracts. A total of 836 new charging points are to be built there, 447 of them based on the Megawatt Charging System (MCS). At full build-out, the network is to comprise around 4,200 charging points at around 350 locations. The Federal Ministry of Transport currently cites around EUR 1 billion being made available for building the truck fast-charging network.
Source: IWR Online, 21 Sep 2026
