Elektrotrucker Tobias Wagner to drive eActros 600 around the world in 80 charging stops
Truck driver and content creator Tobias Wagner sets off from IAA Transportation in Hanover on September 20, 2026, aiming to be the first to circle the globe in a battery-electric long-haul truck.
- 45,000 kilometers
- Around 30
- 80
- 621 kWh
What Happened
Tobias Wagner, known as "Elektrotrucker", will start his round-the-world tour with a Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 expedition vehicle on Sunday at IAA Transportation. The experienced truck driver and content creator aims to be the first person to circumnavigate the globe with a battery-electric long-haul truck within around one year. The planned route covers around 45,000 kilometers through around 30 countries in Europe, Asia, Australia, North America and South America and is intended to be completed with a maximum of 80 charging stops. The aim is to document the performance of battery-electric long-haul technology under a wide range of geographical, climatic and infrastructural conditions while promoting dialogue on expanding charging infrastructure for road freight transport.
Official start at the Mercedes-Benz Trucks booth in Hall 19/20 at IAA Transportation in Hanover.
Route runs via the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia and Bulgaria to Turkey.
Journey planned through Central and East Asia, including Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, China, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.
Planned stages in Australia, the USA and various countries in Latin America.
“When a driver sets off on a round-the-world tour in a battery-electric series-production truck, it is more than an individual adventure. It is a strong signal of how far the technology has already come. We are pleased that Tobias Wagner is relying on our eActros 600 for this journey. His trip will inspire people far beyond the transport industry about the possibilities of electric long-haul transport, while at the same time drawing attention to the progress still needed in infrastructure.”
“I have been driving battery-electric trucks in international long-haul transport for several years and know what is already possible today. With this round-the-world tour, I want to find out how far we really are. I will reach places where electric mobility already works and others where it still reaches its limits. These are exactly the kinds of experiences that make the journey valuable for advancing emission-free road freight transport.”
- Based on a series-produced Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 from the Wörth am Rhein plant.
- The series-production 4x2 platform truck was purposefully developed further into an expedition vehicle.
- Modifications include two spare-wheel carriers, single tires, auxiliary headlights integrated into the sun visor and a specially developed camper body from Bliss Mobil.
- Logistics company DHL is providing support for vehicle transport on the necessary sea routes, particularly between continents.
- Wagner equipped the truck with his own DC charging station from Alpitronic, adding AC charging from sockets at up to 43 kW on top of existing CCS technology with 400 kW charging capacity.
- The international dealer and service network offers service and support along the route if required.
“At DHL, we are actively shaping the sustainable transformation of road freight transport and are already successfully using alternative drives in daily operations. With our global logistics expertise, we are supporting the round-the-world tour, from the intercontinental shipment of the vehicle to fast parcel shipping of spare parts along the route. This makes visible worldwide what is already possible in freight transport today.”
45,000kilometers
Roughly 30 countries on five continents, intended with fewer than 80 charging stops.
Previously from Daimler Truck AG
Daimler Truck has recently been expanding its commercial-vehicle footprint beyond Europe: in mid-September it placed its India operation at the centre of a new 42-country region spanning Southeast Asia, Australia and Africa. The same week, at IAA Transportation, Daimler Truck joined Volvo, Toyota and energy partners to unveil plans to scale hydrogen-powered trucks across Europe, saying Germany has all the conditions for a deployable ecosystem by 2030.
- Daimler makes India anchor for new 42-country truck region
- Daimler Truck, Volvo, Toyota and energy partners team up to scale hydrogen truck ecosystem across Europe
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Daimler Truck AG's official releases.
Why this matters
The roughly 45,000-kilometer, 30-country expedition is designed to show what battery-electric long-haul transport can already do and where charging infrastructure still falls short. Its findings are aimed at logistics providers, truck drivers, customers and the broader freight industry weighing whether to switch to electric trucks.
Terms in This Story
- eActros 600
- Mercedes-Benz Trucks' battery-electric long-haul truck, whose 600 designation refers to its battery capacity of more than 600 kilowatt hours.
- CCS
- Combined Charging System, a standard connector and charging technology used to charge electric vehicles.
- LFP
- Lithium iron phosphate, a battery cell chemistry noted for long service life.
- Gross combination weight
- The total permissible weight of a truck plus its trailer or semitrailer and payload.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.