Mercedes-Benz is the leading brand of Daimler Truck AG, the world’s largest manufacturer of heavy trucks and tractors. The others rolling under Daimler’s umbrella are Freightliner, Mitsubishi-Fuso, Western Star, BharatBenz, Setra (buses and coaches) and Thomas Built Buses.
The company’s Actros comprises an almost endless range of rolling chassis configurations and tilt cab choices. Anything from 18 metric tons GVWR to an 8×4 heavy haulage tractor, rated at a GCW of 250 tons.
An interesting collection of heavy Actros tractor units was on display, last September. Like a trio from the German Borken region, given the letters BOR on their license plates.
Three seemingly identical 4×2 tractors in a row. In the background a 1963 (19 tons GVWR, 630 hp), the middleman is a 2163 and in the foreground an 1853.
The current series was introduced in 2018 and is generally referred to as the Actros 5. The Dutch Mercedes-Benz organization configured this 2021 halo-demo-tractor, an impressive Actros 2563 Powerliner (a reused, classic Benz designation) with the GigaSpace tilt cab.
Air suspension on all axles plus many other technical and optical goodies, that includes the absence of mirrors. The upper side of the frame is fully covered with diamond plate, often seen on owner-operator tractors. One can say the whole project resulted in the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class of the trucking line.
The tractor is powered by the mighty OM473 turbocompound diesel, the biggest Mercedes-Benz truck engine available. A twin-turbo inline-six with a displacement of 15.6 liter and 626 DIN-hp for the most powerful version. Ein großer Block, for sure.
Daimler’s Detroit division in the US also offers a 15.6 liter engine, known as the Detroit DD16. Logically, both engines share the same block design.
This it how the Powerliner looks with the doors closed. The 6.46 m (21’2”) long -yet short- tractor can swallow 860 liter of diesel fuel, 680 liter in the main tank and another 180 liter in an auxiliary tank.
You just can’t hop in a high-end truck cab with a flat floor (like the Actros GigaSpace), you’ll have to climb it first. No sweat though, thanks to the four steps and the long handles on both sides of the door opening. Cheers!
An inviting, utterly comfortable, top-notch workplace. Something that truck makers and hauling companies simply must offer these days, considering the chronic shortage of professional drivers.
A 2014 Actros 2745, owned by the Van der Vlist Transport Group. It’s powered by the 12.8 liter OM471 engine. Unlike the Powerliner further above, this tractor has standard-sized tires on its liftable and steering pusher axle.
No number on the doors of this 2017 Actros, but given its specs, it must be a 1945. And it’s driven by a lady, obviously.
A 2017 picture, but it blends in nicely now. This 2015 Actros 3358 with a 6×4 drivetrain and the big OM473 engine is a perfect workhorse for heavy and special haulage jobs.
And evidently, that’s exactly what it does for a living. Wherever you live, there are plenty of road transport activities that require more grunt than a run-of-the-mill 12 to 13 liter engine can offer. And if it’s not required, you can have it anyway. Many small hauling companies and owner-operators configure their personal halo ride and put it to work, all over the continent.
These side “mirrors” are very clever. They do not block the view, instead a display screen is put inside where otherwise you would see the door frame.
Aren’t these new trucks very low to the ground especially at the front? Or are they raised when driving? Air suspension?
Air suspension on all axles (like on the Powerliner-demo, as mentioned) is becoming more and more common. Sports car stance when parked.
While over the road trucks over here seem to have become far more streamlined over the last couple of decades, the Euro trucks that you show here (and usually) are often simply in a different dimension as far as that goes with the little spats between the rear wheels, minimal openings for wind to catch inside, fairings at the rear end of the cab, etc. And often the trailers too. While your fuel prices are far higher, your speeds are generally quite a bit lower, making the aero less effective (still quite useful I would imagine).
It would be interesting to see a comparison of aerodynamic specs/figures between something like an Actros and a Freightliner Cascadia for example.
The interior mirror screens seem absolutely huge though, seemingly a larger view blocker than the (mounted further away, thus smaller visually) exterior mirror. It would seem to be more difficult to maneuver in town with those but of course I’m not in the actual driver’s seat so it’s hard to be objective about that from my office chair…I’d be interested in how they are visually to use – I personally seem to have severe difficulty using the newer digitial center rear view mirrors in some cars here although I see their benefits, they just mess with my eyes (not sure if that’s solely a “me” thing or something that more time with it would alleviate, I think it’s something to do with the actual depth perception of a mirror vs a screen).
I’m surprised that a center rear view camera and/or side views at the back of the trailer aren’t becoming a thing. We’ve got 360 view on cars now so it seems like they should be able to have both a permanent and temporary mount cameras for the trailers. With any trailer once you start turning when backing one of your mirrors quickly becomes useless and the other one looses some usefulness. With that big of a screen it seems like you could do a split view, half from the cab and half from the trailer or have the ability to change which one is full view.
Regarding Euro vs US trucks it is interesting to compare these videos from the most recent introductions from PACCAR.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M61MOVuSSXM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wLUrs4tmQE
Both note improved aero was an important design consideration.
In short: fronts like below work perfectly on very fast trains, but on a heavy truck or tractor with a top speed of 89 km/h, the advantage is marginal.
The rounded and slighty sloping front of the new generation of heavy DAFs (XF, XG, XG+) cabovers will do just fine, from a fuel efficiency/aerodynamics point of view. Mission accomplished. That is, taking full advantage of the latest Euro length regulations.
It would be interesting to see the drag numbers on those two trucks so see how close they are. Every little bit does help, which is one of the reasons for the push to remove the mirrors, and of course is why they spend so much time and money finessing the small details on things like the side skirts.
Agreed, that certainly would be interesting. The family members (i.e., not the Pigott family) side by side.
Those big ol’ mirrors on heavy vehicles are on their way out, no question about that. Benz introduced the displays a few years ago and the rest is following as we speak. Optional now, standard equipment in a few years.
You get rid of the huge blind spots behind the mirrors (from a driver’s point of view) and when turning while backing up, the cameras will permanently show the rear end of the (semi-)trailer, depending on how you take the turn. Mirrors show the trailer’s side. Not very convenient, to say the least.
And of course, there’s the aerodynamic aspect, again.
I’m intrigued that the mirror displays aren’t in one screen somewhere right in front of the driver. I presume they’re in (or close to) the “traditional” locations for the habits of drivers.
I guess the traditional location works best. No need to look down or “refocus” all the time. Everything you have to see is always perfectly lined up, horizontally (windshield, side windows, displays).
Sorry if I missed it, but I wonder what kind of transmission these trucks have. I assume automatic of some sort based on the interior photo. Even trucks of these size tend to be automatic lately.
Automated transmissions are widely used in heavy trucks and tractors. As a matter of fact, they have become the norm. Mercedes-Benz builds their own, called the PowerShift.
I had to research Automated Transmissions. If I found the correct reference, they’re also referred as AMT, or Automated Manual Transmission. If I understood the description correctly, an AMT has a clutch and gearbox, but they’re controlled electronically and pneumatically.
Correct. Some other examples (for heavy trucks) are Volvo’s I-Shift and the ZF TraXon.
Johannes,
pardon my ignorance, but you’ve said: “In the background a 1963 (19 tons GVWR, 630 hp), the middleman is a 2163 and in the foreground an 1853.” Yet later on: “A twin-turbo inline-six with a displacement of 15.6 liter and 626 DIN-hp for the most powerful version.“.
Thanks.
63 is just the rounded number of 626 DIN-hp in the four digit designation on the doors, as if it has a 630 hp engine.