• Early investment: Vandijck Transport commits to sustainable mobility and adds two eActros 600 to its fleet
• Successful test drive in international long-distance haulage between Belgium and Switzerland: the eActros 600 demonstrates impressive range and efficiency at 1,530 km under real conditions
• Managing Director Guy Vandijck himself at the wheel: Personal involvement and trust in one’s own team is an important prerequisite for a successful transition to new technologies.
• Public infrastructure continues to be a challenge: own charging infrastructure with PV system and DC chargers in planning.

Herentals (Belgium) - The family-owned company Vandijck Transport from Herentals, Belgium, active in national and international transport, is clearly committed to sustainable mobility.

As early as 2024, the company was one of the first hauliers in Belgium to order two units of the new battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eActros 600. 
Until the delivery of the new series production vehicles in the second quarter of 2025, Managing Director Guy Vandijck and a driver provided by Daimler Truck Belgium Luxembourg intensively tested a prototype of the eActros 600 on a journey to an end customer in Switzerland. The route was carefully prepared in advance: in addition to route guidance, charging infrastructure, differences in altitude, vehicle weights and consumption scenarios were also analyzed.

"Our customers, especially larger companies, are actively demanding green alternatives today. The transport sector is the decisive lever," explains Nathalie  Vandijck, Manager at Vandijck Transport. The two new e-vehicles are to cover different applications in real-life operation: one eActros 600 is to be used in shuttle traffic between Limburg and Antwerp in Belgium, the second for international transport to Zurich, Switzerland.

The test drive itself confirmed the theory: with a gross weight of 33.2 tons, the eActros 600 covered 1,530 kilometers under real conditions and with intermediate charging - including mountain routes, descents and urban traffic.
"The range really convinced us. We drove almost 600 kilometers until the first charging process and returned with 13% remaining capacity. It’s a bit unfamiliar at first, but when you understand the principle of energy recovery, the vehicle is astonishingly pleasant to drive," says Guy Vandijck.

The recuperation system in particular had a great effect: energy was clearly recovered when driving downhill, which had a positive impact on consumption. The average consumption was 96.3 kWh/100 km - a very good figure. The drive not only provided important insights into the vehicle’s energy consumption and range but also impressed with exceptional handling. The absence of engine noise, the low center of gravity due to the battery arrangement and the general driving stability of the eActros 600 made a positive impression. "It’s a pleasure to drive it. You hardly hear anything, the vehicle is quiet on the road and the ride comfort is exceptionally high," says Guy Vandijck.

Leading by example

Remarkable on this test drive: Managing Director Guy Vandijck himself sat at the wheel - together with an experienced driver from Daimler Truck Belgium Luxembourg.
Guy Vandijck: “As an entrepreneur, I want to experience the challenges of electric driving myself in order to support my drivers in the best possible way,” he explains.
"I don't want them to feel pushed into something unknown. That’s why I will also be driving the first missions with them." 
Through his personal involvement, Guy Vandijck creates trust in his own team - an important prerequisite for a successful transition to new technologies.
With two eActros 600s ordered and a successful test drive, Guy Vandijck is optimistic about the transport of the future: "Our drivers have to get used to a new driving style, but the enthusiasm is growing. This test drive was not only technically successful, but also a motivation boost for our team," says Guy Vandijck.
The Swiss end customer was also convinced. “Our customers are delighted when they see that their logistics partner is investing in sustainable solutions - and that’s exactly what we want to show,” Guy Vandijck emphasizes.

The next step towards the future

Even though the expansion of the public charging infrastructure remains a challenge, Vandijck Transport plans to expand its own charging infrastructure with DC charging devices and photovoltaics. External charging breaks should be combined with regular driver breaks where possible.

About the eActros 600

Mercedes-Benz Trucks celebrated the series launch of the eActros 600 at the end of November last year at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth. Deliveries to customers began in December 2024. The electric flagship among Mercedes-Benz Trucks has already proven its capabilities several times under real-life conditions: In customer use and as part of the “eActros 600 European Testing Tour 2024”, a 15,000-kilometer all-electric development trip through a total of 22 countries and the “European Testing Tour Winter 2025” on around 6,500 kilometers through Northern Europe, each with a gross combination mass of 40 tons. In addition, the e-truck was voted “International Truck of the Year 2025”. The award is the most important prize in the industry and is presented annually by the International Truck of the Year (IToY) organization, consisting of 24 commercial vehicle journalists from Europe. The overall technological concept consisting of an electric drive axle and LFP cell technology was decisive for the award.

The high battery capacity of over 600 kilowatt hours - hence the model designation 600 – and a new, particularly efficient electric drive axle developed in-house enable the electric truck to achieve a range of 500 kilometers^[1] without intermediate charging. This range is accomplished under very realistic and practical conditions with a gross combination mass of 40 tons, which can also be significantly exceeded depending on the driving style and the route. The eActros 600 will even be able to cover well over 1,000 kilometers per day. Intermediate charging during statutory driver breaks makes this possible, provided that charging options are available.

The eActros 600 has three battery packs, each with 207 kWh^[2]. These offer an installed total capacity of 621 kWh. The batteries are based on lithium iron phosphate cell technology (LFP) and are characterized by a long service life. In contrast to other battery cell technologies, more than 95 percent of the installed capacity can also be used with LFP technology. This enables a higher range with the same amount of installed battery capacity. The vehicle is technically designed for a gross combination mass of up to 44 tons. With a standard semitrailer, the eActros 600 has a payload of around 22 tons in the EU. In some cases, national law may allow a higher payload.

_{[1] The range was determined internally under specific test conditions, after preconditioning with a 4x2 tractor unit with a 40 tons total towing weight at 20°C outside temperature in long-haul operation and may deviate from the values determined in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/2400.}

_{[2] Nominal capacity of a new battery, based on internally defined boundary conditions. This may vary depending on the application and ambient conditions.}