OTTO’S is electrifying its entire truck fleet with eActros 600 trucks.
The Swiss retailer OTTO’S is converting its entire truck fleet to electric power. Going forward, 22 fully electric Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 trucks will be used to deliver goods to the company’s more than 140 stores in Switzerland.
Image: Lanz+Marti
The trailers for the 22 electric trucks were manufactured by the Swiss vehicle manufacturer Lanz + Marti. The company announced on LinkedIn that it has built a complete series of 22 vehicles based on the Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 for OTTO’S. The order also included two-axle trailers with plywood box bodies. Thus, the eActros trucks operate as tractor units pulling trailers.
OTTO’S claims that thanks to the eActros 600’s 500-kilometer range, it can cover most routes without needing to stop for charging. “Around 80 percent of all daily delivery trips fall within this distance,” explains OTTO’S CEO Mark Ineichen. The eActros 600s are said to complete two to four trips per day and return regularly to the headquarters in Sursee, in the canton of Lucerne. There they can be charged and prepared for the next mission.
Charging infrastructure with its own solar power
To electrify its fleet, OTTO’S also relies on its own energy supply. The majority of the electricity needed is intended to come from the photovoltaic system at its headquarters. In addition, the company plans to feed solar power from its branch locations into its own grid and use it to operate the charging infrastructure.
By making this transition, OTTO’S combines the electrification of goods transportation with increased use of renewable energy. The company did not provide details in its statement regarding the installed charging capacity, investment costs, or a specific timeline for fully deploying all 22 vehicles.
"With the complete electrification of our truck fleet, we reach an important milestone in advancing our logistics," says Ineichen. At the same time, this transition is intended to ensure that stores can continue to be supplied with goods efficiently and reliably in the future.
eActros 600 for long-distance transport
The Mercedes-Benz eActros 600, which has been in series production since November 2024, is designed for heavy long-distance transport. Its three battery packs with lithium-iron-phosphate cells (LFP) combined have a capacity of 621 kWh. The manufacturer claims a range of around 500 kilometers without recharging. The actual range depends on factors such as load, road conditions, and driving style.
Charging is standard via CCS at up to 400 kW. This allows charging to be integrated into operational routines where vehicles return to the depot between trips or during longer downtime. For OTTO’S, the combination of range and regular returns to Sursee is particularly important: according to the company, four out of five daily trips fall within the vehicle’s range.
By introducing the 22 eActros 600 units, OTTO’S is advancing electrification not just in select areas but across its entire truck fleet. This deployment also demonstrates how battery-electric heavy-duty vehicles can be utilized in branch logistics, especially when a significant portion of deliveries fall within the vehicle’s range and the trucks regularly return to a central depot.