The US corporation Amazon has ordered 200 heavy electric trucks of the Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 type from Daimler Truck for its European freight transport. The vehicles are to be integrated into the online retailer's logistics network later this year, as the company announced in Munich. Around 140 trucks will be deployed in the UK, about 50 in Germany. So far, Amazon operates 38 electric trucks in Europe, which have been in use since the beginning of the year.

Andreas Marschner, Vice President for Sustainability at Amazon Worldwide Operations, described the order as an important step: "Decarbonizing heavy-duty transportation is the most challenging part of the transport sector." With this order, Amazon is making the largest purchase of electric trucks in its history. The vehicles are to be used on medium-distance routes between fulfillment centers, sorting centers, and delivery bases.

The eActros 600 has a range of 500 kilometers and is said by Marschner to fit perfectly into Amazon's delivery network. To support its deployment, the online retailer is building a network of fast charging stations with 360 kilowatts at its locations. These charge the trucks from 20 to 80 percent in less than an hour – a process that is compatible with the legally mandated break times for drivers.

Amazon aims to become CO₂-neutral by 2040. According to the company, it is investing one billion euros in Europe over several years to electrify its transportation network. Last year, Amazon already doubled the number of its electric delivery vehicles in Germany to 600, which are produced by the US company Rivian.

Additionally, Amazon is increasingly relying on electric cargo bikes for parcel delivery in major cities such as Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, and Frankfurt.