Mercedes-Benz Trucks delivers first eActros 400 with mechanical power take-off to AVG Köln for electric tipper operations
Mercedes-Benz Trucks has handed over three battery-electric eActros 400 trucks with a factory-integrated mechanical power take-off to AVG Köln for use as tipper tractors in municipal waste logistics.
- 3
- 414 kWh
- 9
- 3,000 m²
What Happened
Mercedes-Benz Trucks has delivered three battery-electric eActros 400 trucks of the second generation with ProCabin to AVG Köln, a public-private waste management company in Cologne. The vehicles are the first Mercedes-Benz trucks equipped with a factory-integrated mechanical power take-off (mPTO), enabling them to function as tipper tractor units. Final integration of the hydraulic system and steel half-round tipping trailers from Schwarzmüller will be completed by Erkes Nutzfahrzeuge.
“With the delivery of the eActros 400 for tipper tractor applications, we are demonstrating that battery-electric drivetrains can reliably meet the demands of even the most challenging waste logistics operations.”
“Achieving carbon-neutral waste logistics is one of the greatest challenges of the future. With the eActros 400, Daimler Truck provides a practical commercial vehicle solution for an application area that has until now relied exclusively on fossil fuels.”
Launch of first-generation eActros for heavy-duty distribution transport
Launch of eEconic for municipal waste collection
Start of series production for eActros 600 long-haul truck
Second-generation eActros 400 added to product family
eArocs 400 for urban construction transport to be introduced
414 kWhtotal installed
Two battery packs with 207 kWh each, using lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cell technology for long service life.
The vehicles operate within the BELLA project (Battery-Electric Emission-Free Truck Logistics for Incinerator Bottom Ash), replacing conventional diesel trucks to transport incinerator bottom ash within the plant and to nearby facilities. AVG Köln is also investing in a dedicated charging hub spanning approximately 3,000 square meters, featuring nine commercial vehicle charging stations powered directly by its waste-to-energy plant.
Previously from Daimler Truck AG
In June 2026, Mercedes-Benz Trucks delivered the first five of ten battery-electric eEconic refuse trucks to Abfallwirtschaft Stuttgart, marking an earlier step in electrifying municipal waste collection. Today's delivery of eActros 400 with mPTO further expands electric truck applications in waste logistics.
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Daimler Truck AG's official releases.
Why this matters
This delivery marks a milestone for electric trucks in heavy-duty waste logistics, an application previously reliant on fossil fuels and external bodybuilders. The deployment, part of the BELLA project, shows that battery-electric drivetrains can handle demanding tipper operations, benefiting municipalities and private waste management companies aiming for carbon-neutral fleets.
Terms in This Story
- Mechanical power take-off (mPTO)
- A device that transfers engine power to auxiliary equipment, such as a hydraulic pump for tipping trailers, directly from the drivetrain.
- Lithium iron phosphate (LFP)
- A type of lithium-ion battery chemistry known for safety, long life, and thermal stability, often used in commercial vehicles.
- BELLA project
- An acronym for Battery-Electric Emission-Free Truck Logistics for Incinerator Bottom Ash, a pilot for electric truck use in waste logistics.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.