A German truck driver is preparing to drive around the world in an electric Mercedes-Benz truck converted into a motorhome, aiming to make the entire journey on battery power alone.
Tobias Wagner, a professional truck driver known online as Elektrotrucker, will depart from IAA Transportation 2026 in Hanover, Germany, on Sunday, Sept. 20. Mercedes-Benz Trucks says the trip is expected to last about a year and cover roughly 28,000 miles through more than 30 countries on five continents, with no more than 80 planned charging stops.
According to Mercedes, this would be the first known circumnavigation of the globe in a fully battery-electric truck.
The vehicle
Wagner’s truck is a Mercedes-Benz eActros 600, a battery-electric truck normally built for long-distance commercial freight, fitted with a Bliss Mobil living module behind the cab. The truck’s three lithium iron phosphate battery packs have a combined installed capacity of 621 kWh. Under fully loaded long-haul test conditions, Mercedes says the standard eActros 600 can travel about 310 miles.
But Wagner’s version has been modified with single rear tires and expedition equipment to cut weight and rolling resistance compared with a standard freight configuration. Mercedes and Wagner believe that, combined with careful hypermiling, the lighter setup could reach as far as 621 miles on a single charge — roughly double the normal quoted range. Mercedes says actual results will depend on road conditions, temperature, speed and terrain.
The finished vehicle has a maximum weight of about 34,170 pounds. Its electric axle and four-speed transmission produce about 536 horsepower continuously, with peak output of roughly 805 horsepower.
Charging on the road
The route, which includes Central and East Asia, Australia, the United States and parts of Latin America, will take Wagner through regions where high-powered truck charging infrastructure is limited. The eActros 600 supports CCS2 fast charging at up to 400 kW, which Mercedes says can take the battery from 10% to 80% in about 70 minutes under specified conditions. Mercedes has also demonstrated Megawatt Charging System technology at up to 1,000 kW.
The truck has charging connections on both sides and adapters for charging systems used in China and North America. As a backup, Wagner has also equipped the truck with his own Alpitronic DC charging station, which can charge from AC connections at up to 43 kW when higher-powered chargers aren’t available.
Life on board
Bliss Mobil built a roughly 13-foot expedition module for the back of the truck, including a U-shaped dining area, a kitchen, a bathroom and a drop-down bed that folds away above the dining area during the day. The camper can sleep up to four people, though Wagner’s main travel companion will be his dog, Krümelix.
The living module runs on its own separate 400-Ah lithium battery, supported by 1,000 watts of solar power, to run the induction cooktop, refrigerator, air conditioning and other systems without diesel or propane. It carries about 106 gallons of fresh water with a multistage filtration system. The module also has a 24-volt connection to the truck’s main battery for backup power, though using it would draw from the energy needed to move the roughly 17-ton vehicle.
For roads too narrow for the truck, Wagner is carrying a Honda WN7 electric motorcycle on a rear carrier, with a 9.3-kWh battery and about 67 horsepower, so he can continue on two wheels if needed.
The cost
A price sheet for the vehicle put the total cost of the eActros 600 truck, Bliss Mobil camper and additional equipment at approximately $796,600 including tax, not counting the electric motorcycle. Mercedes says the planned route may still change as the trip progresses.
