Gartner is acquiring 40 electric trucks, including 20 Superpanther eTopas 600 models.
Austrian logistics company Gartner is ordering 40 electric trucks and twelve DC charging stations for its headquarters in Lambach, Upper Austria. In addition to 20 MAN eTGX trucks, the company is investing in 20 eTopas 600 models from Chinese newcomer Superpanther. This represents the largest single order for the brand in Europe to date.
The eTopas 600 has been produced at the Steyr plant since summer.
Image: Steyr Automotive
Gartner KG is a logistics company founded in 1918 that employs a comprehensive transportation approach. Operating within its own European network, the family-owned company maintains approximately 2,700 tractors and over 4,000 trailers according to its own statements, including sheet, refrigerated, and tank trailers. In addition to its headquarters in Lambach, Gartner KG has branches, subsidiaries, and partners in other parts of Austria, Germany, Hungary, Romania, the Netherlands, Greece, Norway, Czechia, and Slovakia. Its main headquarters along with five logistics centers in Austria, Germany, Hungary, and Romania serve as the foundation for its widespread transportation and logistics services across Europe.
The management of the company estimates the investment in the 40 vehicles and loaders now ordered at around 9.6 million euros. Approximately 40 percent of this amount goes toward infrastructure, while 60 percent is allocated for the vehicles. The Austrian Research Promotion GmbH provides financial support for this purchase in the amount of around 3.5 million euros. Meanwhile, planning is already underway: in the medium term, Gartner KG aims to electrify up to 70 vehicles in its fleet.
The vehicles are said to have a maximum range of just under 600 kilometers, and it takes about an hour for them to be fully recharged. The Superpanther eTopas 600 is a 4×2 tractor unit equipped with a 621 kWh battery, and it has only been available in this single version in Europe recently. In contrast, the MAN eTGX is now available in its second generation as a two- or three-axle tractor unit with batteries of various capacities. It is not known which model version the Austrian regular customer chose.
A regular customer due to close ties with manufacturer MAN: Gartner KG’s fleet consists of over 80 percent MAN vehicles – and in May 2025, both parties signed another framework agreement for the delivery of up to 1,200 MAN tractor units by the end of 2028. The agreement calls for the delivery of up to 350 vehicles per year – though they are equipped with conventional diesel engines. However, Gartner has already been using battery-electric eTGX vehicles on certain routes in Germany for some time. The partnership is mutual: Gartner also acts as an important vehicle transporter for MAN.
The fact that Gartner has now also placed an order for electric Superpanther trucks is certainly noteworthy against this backdrop. The Chinese brand made its European debut this year, with Europe being the first export market for this electric truck startup after its home market in China. The eTopas 600 trucks have been assembled using SKD components at Steyr Automotive in Austria since the end of July. Just over two months ago, the partners announced that they would deliver the first units to companies such as DHL, Gress, Temmel, and Lontex. With Gartner KG’s order, another established company has joined, ordering 20 electric Superpanther trucks at once. The first deliveries are scheduled for late 2026 or early 2027.
"With the eTopas 600, we are investing in a technology that meets our high standards for efficiency, reliability, and practicality, while also making a significant contribution to decarbonizing transportation," Christian Gartner, managing director of Gartner KG, is quoted as saying in a statement from Superpanther. Incidentally, Gartner was originally a family-owned business until mid-2024, when Lidl International Services GmbH joined and has since held 35 percent of the company’s shares.
Dr. Michael Ruf, President Europe at SuperPanther, added regarding the new order: "Gartner’s decision underscores the growing importance of high-performance electric commercial vehicles in professional fleet operations." Ruf has set a goal for the Superpanther brand to have 1,000 vehicles operating in Europe by the end of 2027.
