Mercedes built an electric truck that could rival Tesla - here's a closer look
Meet the Urban eTruck: a fully electric truck designed specifically for city driving that gets a range of 124 miles.
That may not seem like a ton of mileage, but considering it's designed for package or cargo delivery within cities, it's enough to complete a day's worth of routes.
The truck currently runs on three lithium-ion batteries that are part of a modular design, so you can add an extra battery pack to slightly bump that 124-mile limit.
Mercedes opted to have cameras replace the sideview mirrors.
And those cameras capture the outside world and display it on a screen right above the left side of the steering wheel.
The driver's instrument is also digital and there's a separate, 12.3-inch infotainment display on the center of the dashboard. That central display shows detailed information about the upcoming route.
The truck comes with three driving modes: auto, eco, and agile. Auto is best for a standard journey, but switching into eco mode will ensure the driver stays within her target range. Agile functions as a power mode.
Perhaps the coolest feature of the truck is its virtual monitoring system that ensures the truck can complete its route without running out of battery. The system looks at the pallet spaces in the truck, the weight, and expected driving time to ensure the driver is staying on track.
If the virtual monitoring service sees the truck is being pushed to the limits of its range, it will change the truck's driving mode to help accommodate.
The truck also comes with a separate tablet that keeps track of the truck's battery life and how many miles it can travel before needing to re-charge.
The truck can carry a whopping 57,320 pounds worth of cargo. Mercedes said to expect this tech on its trucks within the next 10 years.
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