Mercedes-Benz delivers first electric trucks to Bakers in major SA milestone

Mercedes-Benz Trucks has taken another step towards electrifying South Africa’s commercial transport industry after delivering its first three battery-electric eActros 300 trucks to logistics company Bakers S.A. Limited.

The handover marks the first confirmed sale of the eActros 300 in South Africa since Daimler Truck Southern Africa (DTSA) officially introduced its electric truck range to the local market in 2024. The three vehicles comprise an eActros 300L 4×2 rigid truck, an eActros 300L 6×2 rigid truck and an eActros 300LS 4×2 city tractor.

The acquisition follows an extensive testing programme that allowed Bakers to evaluate the trucks under everyday operating conditions before committing to the technology. According to DTSA, the trials demonstrated significant energy cost savings, although the manufacturer did not disclose the actual savings achieved, purchase prices or expected return on investment.

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Bakers, which has been testing Mercedes-Benz electric trucks since 2023, intends to deploy the vehicles in closed-loop distribution, last-mile deliveries and potentially medium-distance transport operations.

Bakers CEO Abdool Kader Tayob said the investment aligned with the company’s strategy to improve operational efficiency while reducing its environmental impact. He said the company was also looking forward to future long-distance alternative-energy truck offerings from Daimler Truck as part of its fleet strategy towards 2030.

From left to right: Justin Weyer, Key Account Manager for Mercedes-Benz Trucks; Olaf Petersen, Vice President for Sales and Marketing of DTSA; Maretha Gerber, President and Group CEO of DTSA; Abdool Tayob, CEO of Bakers S.A. Limited; Mark Croxon, CEO of Sandown Commercial Vehicles Centurion and Mike Honiball, CEO of Daimler Truck Financial Services South Africa.

The transaction represents another milestone for Sandown Commercial Vehicles Centurion, which becomes the first Mercedes-Benz Truck dealership in South Africa to sell the manufacturer’s battery-electric trucks. However, the broader adoption of electric heavy-duty vehicles remains challenging, particularly because of high initial purchase costs, charging infrastructure requirements and operational limitations associated with battery range and charging times.

DTSA vice-president of sales and marketing Olaf Petersen acknowledged that the transition towards electric commercial vehicles had been slower than initially anticipated.

“While adoption in our market has been more gradual than initially anticipated, we are encouraged by the progress we are seeing,” Petersen said.

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He added that rising diesel and energy costs could strengthen the business case for alternative drivetrains, particularly where vehicles operate on predictable routes.

The development comes as South Africa’s commercial transport sector gradually explores alternatives to conventional diesel-powered trucks. For fleet operators, the financial viability of electric trucks will depend on factors including electricity tariffs, vehicle utilisation, charging infrastructure and total ownership costs.

The Bakers acquisition provides an early commercial test of whether battery-electric heavy-duty trucks can deliver measurable operational and financial benefits under South African conditions.

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