Amazon plans to operate 50 Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 heavy-duty electric trucks in Germany before the end of 2026, in a move aimed at expanding the use of zero-emission vehicles from urban delivery operations to longer trips between fulfillment centers and urban areas.
The company says the first 26 trucks from the order, which exceeds 200 eActros 600 trucks, have already entered service. Amazon describes the delivery as an important milestone in its plan to decarbonize its global transportation network, after electric vehicles had been more widely used in last-mile deliveries to customers.
Trucks designed for transport between centers and cities
The trucks will operate on what are known as middle-mile routes, meaning the transportation of goods between fulfillment centers and urban areas, rather than being limited to short distances within cities. The eActros 600’s battery pack has a capacity of approximately 621 kilowatt-hours, while its stated operating range reaches 500 kilometers.
The truck relies on electric drive axles developed by Mercedes-Benz and operates, according to the stated data, at an average gross combination weight of 36 tons. These specifications give Amazon the ability to introduce electric trucks into a more demanding part of the transportation chain, while the actual range remains dependent on the load, weather, and route characteristics.
Infrastructure is a key part of the plan
The integration process is not limited to purchasing the trucks. Amazon plans to install hundreds of direct-current fast chargers in the region, with the ability to raise the battery level from 20% to 80% in slightly more than an hour, according to the source. This shows that operating heavy-duty electric trucks requires coordination between vehicles, charging locations, and trip scheduling, rather than simply replacing an internal-combustion-engine truck with an electric one.
Amazon says it is investing more than €1 billion in electrifying and reducing emissions from its European transportation network, including more than €400 million allocated to its operations in Germany. According to an analysis conducted by Frontier Economics at the company’s request, these investments were estimated to have supported more than 35,000 jobs and contributed up to €3 billion to the German economy.
Why does this news matter?
Deploying 50 trucks in Germany represents a practical test of using heavy-duty electric trucks on regular operating routes, rather than an announcement of a new model or a standalone specification. The direct impact concerns Amazon’s operations and its contracted transportation network, while the success of the trial depends on the availability of fast charging and the vehicles’ ability to maintain their stated range under real-world operating conditions.
The source does not specify the German routes on which the trucks will operate or provide actual performance results after deployment, nor does it provide data on the emissions reductions achieved so far. Therefore, the announced figures remain the basis for an expansion plan, not conclusive evidence of its operational or economic results.