Daimler Trucks & Buses and battery manufacturer Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) have entered a global battery cell modules supply agreement for electric series trucks.

CATL will supply lithium-ion battery cell modules for a wide range of Daimler Trucks & Buses’ global electric truck portfolio to be introduced in markets from 2021 onwards, including the Mercedes-Benz eActros, the Freightliner eCascadia, and the Freightliner eM2. The development of the battery systems lies with Daimler Trucks & Buses.

Battery pack assembly will be carried out by Daimler Trucks & Buses as well - at its Mercedes-Benz Mannheim plant in Germany and its Detroit plant in the U.S.

“At Daimler Trucks & Buses, we are constantly leveraging our strong technological position and global presence through intelligent platforms and shared modules.  We are extending this formula of success to our electric trucks as well, fulfilling our customers' needs with speed to market and best-available technology. Our E-Mobility Group and the new partnership with CATL are key elements of this approach," said Dr. Frank Reintjes, Head of Global Powertrain, E-Mobility and Manufacturing Engineering Daimler Trucks.

The heavy-duty Mercedes-Benz eActros with a range of around 200 km is in intensive customer trials as part of an “eActros innovation fleet” in Germany and Switzerland with the first customer hand over in 2018.

In the United States, the all-electric medium Freightliner eM2 and the heavy-duty Freightliner eCascadia trucks are also in practical customer testing. Around 150 vehicles of the light-duty FUSO eCanter are already in customer operation in cities around the globe such as New York City, Tokyo, Berlin, London, Amsterdam, Paris and Lisbon.