The eActros 600 from Mercedes-Benz Trucks has been voted “International Truck of the Year 2025” by a jury of 24 editors and senior journalists from the commercial vehicle press represent ing 24 of Europe’s most important truck magazines. 

The prestigious award was presented to Karin R?dstr?m, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Trucks, dur ing the IAA Transportation Press Day in Hanover, Germany. 

With 88 votes, the German truck manufacturer’s heavy-duty battery electric vehicle (BEV) beat stiff competition from Volvo Trucks’ Aero range with electric or conventional powertrains and the Iveco S-eWay electric tractor. 

According to the International Truck of the Year (IToY) rules, the annual award goes to the truck launched in the previous 12 months, which makes the most significant contribution to road transport efficiency. The judging is based on a number of critical criteria, including technological innovation, comfort, safety, driveability, energy efficiency, environmental footprint, and total cost of ownership (TCO). 

It’s the second time an electric truck has won the International Truck of the Year award, which dates back to 1977. In addition, five of the seven vehicles on this year’s IToY shortlist are bat tery-electric models with zero tailpipe emissions. This is another sign that the energy transition is gaining momentum among truck manufacturers and is attracting the interest of European transport operators.

The numerous IToY journalists who participated in the more than 15,000-kilometre eActros 600 European Testing Tour 2024, organised by Mercedes-Benz Trucks, praised the new ProCabin’s advanced aerodynamics. With its protruding front section and smooth, curved surfaces, the ProCabin is designed to improve airflow by 9% compared to the current model. 

The IToY journalists appreciated the powertrain’s performance, based on twin 400 kW electric motors on the electric axle and three LFP battery packs of 207 kWh each. This powertrain provides smooth acceleration with three different driving programmes in a quiet, vibration-free working environment. 

As the International Truck of the Year judges witnessed, with over 600 kWh of installed capacity, a standard 40-tonne tractor-semitrailer combination can achieve a range of over 500 kilometres without intermediate recharging. 

Summing up the jury’s vote, International Truck of the Year Chairman Gianenrico Griffini said: “Mercedes-Benz Trucks designed the eActros 600 as an electric truck right from the start. This decision has put a state-of-the-art BEV on the road capable of fulfilling a wide range of long-haul missions.” 

About the International Truck of the Year

The International Truck of the Year (IToY) award was initially launched in 1977 by the British journalist and leg endary editor of TRUCK magazine Pat Kennett. Today, the 24 jury members represent leading commercial ve hicle magazines throughout Europe. Moreover, in the last few years, the IToY Group has extended its influence by appointing ‘a(chǎn)ssociate members in the growing truck markets of China, India, South Africa, Australia, Brazil, Japan, Iran, New Zealand, Israel, and Malaysia. The combined truck operator readership of the 24 IToY full-jury members’ magazines and those of its ten associate members exceeds 1,100,000. 

About Dekra 

The IToY group would like to thank Dekra for independently collating all the IToY jury members’ votes and certifying the final result. Dekra’s history begins with the automobile. In 1925, the Deutsche Kraftfahrzeug-überwachungs-Verein e.V was founded in Berlin to ensure the road safety of rapidly developing mobility. Today, Dekra’s eight Service Divisions - Vehicle Inspection, Claims and expertise, Product Testing, Industrial Inspection, Consulting, Audits, Training, and Temp Work - offer a broad service portfolio. This portfolio focuses on safety on the road, at work, and at home on f ive continents and 60 countries worldwide. Dekra has around 44,000 employees and generates a turnover of about 3.4 billion euros.

Source：ITOY