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Tobias Wagner, a German truck driver and content creator known as Elektrotrucker, has set off on a round-the-world expedition in a series-produced Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 electric truck. He aims to cover 45,000 kilometers through 30 countries within one year using a maximum of 80 charging stops.
German professional truck driver and content creator Tobias Wagner, known as “Elektrotrucker,” has set off on an attempted circumnavigation of the globe in a Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 battery-electric long-haul truck. According to Mercedes-Benz Trucks, the expedition covers a planned 45,000 kilometers through 30 countries across Europe, Asia, Australia, North America and South America, and is intended to be completed within one year using a maximum of 80 charging stops.
The expedition began in Germany, with the planned route running from Hanover through the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia and Bulgaria to Turkey. From there, the route continues through Central and East Asia, including Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, China, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. Further stages are planned in Australia, the United States and Latin America. Mercedes-Benz Trucks noted that the final route may change as travel planning progresses.
The stated purpose of the tour is to document the performance of battery-electric long-haul technology under a wide range of geographical, climatic and infrastructural conditions. Logistics company DHL will provide vehicle transport on the sea crossings between continents, meaning the truck itself will not drive across oceans.
The vehicle is based on a series-produced eActros 600, modified for the demands of a world tour. According to the manufacturer, the modifications include two spare-wheel carriers, single tires, auxiliary headlights and a specially developed camper body from Bliss Mobil. The truck supports CCS charging at up to 400 kW, and Wagner has also fitted his own DC charging station from Alpitronic, allowing the truck to charge from an AC circuit at up to 43 kW where high-power infrastructure is unavailable.
A Rolling Test of Global Charging Infrastructure
The expedition matters beyond the personal challenge because it puts series-produced electric long-haul hardware through conditions no manufacturer test program can easily replicate: extreme climates, remote regions and countries where truck-charging infrastructure is sparse or absent. Wagner’s stated goal — to find out “how far we really are” — frames the trip as a real-world audit of both the eActros 600’s technology and the readiness of public charging networks across five continents.
For the freight industry, the outcome carries practical weight. Battery-electric long-haul trucks are increasingly being deployed in Europe, but operators remain cautious about range, charging availability and route flexibility. A documented, publicly followed circumnavigation — successful or not — provides visible evidence of where electric long-haul works and where it still hits limits. Christian Wilz, Chairman of the Management Board of Mercedes-Benz Trucks Germany, said the trip would draw attention to “the progress still needed in infrastructure,” an implicit acknowledgment that charging coverage remains a constraint on electrified freight.
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The Driver and the Truck Behind the Trip
: null, “context”: “Wagner is not new to electric trucking. “I have been driving battery-electric trucks in international long-haul transport for several years and know what is already possible today,” he said in a statement. His background as a working electric-truck driver, rather than a stunt driver, underpins the expedition’s framing as a practical assessment rather than a publicity exercise. He also creates content under the Elektrotrucker name, which is expected to make the journey’s findings publicly visible as it progresses.
The eActros 600 is Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ battery-electric long-haul tractor, developed for heavy regional and long-distance distribution. The expedition vehicle is largely standard, with the Bliss Mobil camper body providing living accommodation and the added charging equipment providing backup capability where the 400 kW CCS fast-charging network is unavailable — a realistic concern across parts of Central Asia, Southeast Asia and Latin America.
“I have been driving battery-electric trucks in international long-haul transport for several years and know what is already possible today. With this round-the-world tour, I want to find out how far we really are. I will reach places where electric mobility already works and others where it still reaches its limits.”
— Tobias Wagner (Elektrotrucker)
What Could Change en Route
Several elements of the expedition remain open. Mercedes-Benz Trucks has stated that the final route may change as travel planning progresses, and the published itinerary lists countries by stage without fixed dates for each leg. It is not yet clear how many of the planned 80 charging stops will use public fast-charging infrastructure versus Wagner’s own Alpitronic charging equipment on AC supplies, which will affect what the expedition demonstrates about public networks.
Whether the one-year timeline can be met is also unproven. The route crosses regions with widely varying charging availability, permitting requirements and road conditions, and any attempt to circumnavigate the globe by vehicle carries a risk of delays from logistics, border crossings or technical issues. No results from the journey have been reported yet, as the expedition has only recently departed.
Following the Journey Across Five Continents
The immediate next stages take the eActros 600 eastward from Germany through Central Europe to Turkey, followed by the Central and East Asian legs through countries including Kazakhstan, China and Thailand, ending the Asian stage in Singapore. DHL will then ship the vehicle onward for the planned Australian, North American and South American stages. Wagner is expected to document the journey publicly through his Elektrotrucker channels, and Mercedes-Benz Trucks indicated that findings on charging infrastructure and vehicle performance will emerge as the tour progresses. The expedition aims to complete the 45,000-kilometer route within one year of departure.
Key Questions
Who is the Elektrotrucker?
Tobias Wagner, a German professional truck driver and content creator who has driven battery-electric trucks in international long-haul transport for several years. He is attempting the round-the-world tour in a Mercedes-Benz eActros 600.
How far will the expedition travel and how long will it take?
The planned route covers approximately 45,000 kilometers through 30 countries, with a target completion time of one year and a maximum of 80 charging stops, according to Mercedes-Benz Trucks.
Is the truck a standard production model?
It is based on a series-produced eActros 600, but modified with two spare-wheel carriers, single tires, auxiliary headlights, a Bliss Mobil camper body and an Alpitronic DC charging station for backup AC charging at up to 43 kW. It supports CCS fast charging at up to 400 kW.
How does the truck cross oceans?
Logistics company DHL will transport the vehicle on sea routes between continents, so the truck is shipped rather than driven across oceans.
What is the purpose of the trip?
According to Wagner and Mercedes-Benz Trucks, the expedition is intended to document how battery-electric long-haul technology performs across varied climates, geographies and charging-infrastructure conditions — identifying both where it works well and where it still reaches its limits.
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