As Formula 1 teams chase lap times around demanding circuits, the true test of engineering is happening on the highway.
Transport and logistics represent nearly half of F1’s carbon footprint, though the sport recently achieved a 29% emission reduction against its 2018 baseline.
F1’s official logistics partner, DHL, uses a combination of biofuels, sustainable aviation fuel, and intermodal rail freight to help transport team kit. But Mercedes-AMG Petronas took things a step further in 2026.
Alongside its HVO100 biofuel fleet, the team has deployed the all-electric Mercedes eActros 600 across all nine European races. Built by Daimler Truck AG, the model was named International Truck of the Year in 2025.
The team first trialled the vehicle ferrying kit between Brackley and Silverstone, according to Ash Armstrong, Daimler Truck UK eConsultancy Manager.
“If you’re familiar with those two sites, it’s hardly groundbreaking in terms of distances,” Armstrong tells Sector.
“But it built confidence in what the product could do. Despite the short runs, the consumption data on that eight-mile trip was outstanding. The team was impressed by how little energy it used, especially in stop-start traffic.”
Confidence built quickly. The team soon conducted a 681km trial from Brackley to Zandvoort with just a single stop in Dunkirk, proving electric freight was more than a marketing ploy.
Mercedes-Benz Trucks officially adopted the eActros 600, nicknamed ‘EVie’ by an eight-year-old Mercedes F1 fan named George, which pulls Race Trailer Three (RT3).
RT3 is used to transport vital trackside infrastructure, including the team communications office and medical facilities.
It completed its maiden 1,600km run to Monaco in May and will log over 15,000km by the time the European season wraps up in Madrid this September.
“In some instances, the electric truck has actually beaten the diesel truck back to base,” notes Armstrong. “So it doesn’t mean you’re sacrificing speed.”
Expanding EHGV-friendly charging infrastructure across Europe made the push viable, allowing drivers to charge without uncoupling their trailers.
“The amount of EHGV-friendly charging locations in Europe has increased over the last 12 to 18 months,” explains Armstrong.
“If we were doing this in 2025, it still would have been possible, but it wouldn’t have been easy. Now in 2026, it’s relatively easy.”
Trackside Tech Meets Heavy Freight
Transitioning from diesel to electric was designed to be seamless; the trucks share identical cab designs and aerodynamics.
“That cab is designed to have the lowest drag coefficient possible,” says Armstrong. “It’s identical to the diesel version because we’re maximising efficiency across both platforms.”
Inside, the eActros 600 uses an electrical regeneration system inspired by its F1 counterparts. Weighing up to 42 tons gross combination weight in the UK, the truck carries substantial kinetic energy that can be recovered during deceleration.
Integrated directly into its 800-volt drive axle, the system captures enough kinetic energy to equal roughly 25% of the truck’s total power consumption.
“Under braking, the eActros 600 can recuperate power rapidly – putting up to 600kW back into the batteries at peak regen,” Armstrong says.
“This is one of the ways in which the truck is able to consistently deliver a minimum range of 500km on a single charge from its 600kWh battery.”
Similar to a 2026 F1 power unit’s self-learning capabilities, the truck relies on software optimisation through Predictive Powertrain Control, which coordinates cruise and transmission controls to maximise energy recovery and extend range.
“The driver feedback on reliability, performance, and comfort has been superb,” says Armstrong.
“Average charging stops last an hour to an hour and a half, which aligns with mandatory 45-minute driver breaks during a 10-hour shift, so disruption has been minimal.”
Heavy Loads, Zero Emissions
Efficiency in F1 extends beyond track limits; payload capacity dictates how much equipment makes it to a race weekend. Mercedes-Benz Trucks required a trailer setup that maximised cargo weight without sacrificing range.
“The gross combination weight for the truck and the trailer is 39 tonnes, so it’s one of the heaviest trailers that they pull,” says Armstrong.
“It’s pushing what the truck can do to the absolute maximum. So far, the truck has been returning between 1.04 and 1.08kW per km at 39T GCW, which would give the team a total minimum range of between 555km and 576km on a single charge.”
By proving heavy-duty electric transport is an operational reality across Europe, Mercedes-Benz Trucks has raised the bar for paddock logistics.
“Mercedes-Benz Trucks has awoken other teams to what’s possible,” Armstrong adds. “They’ve set the benchmark early. In F1, everything is a competition – I expect others to follow suit soon.”
By treating freight logistics with the same precision as it applies to aerodynamic performance, Mercedes-Benz Trucks has transformed an overlooked slice of its footprint into a proving ground for commercial transport.
