German manufacturer Daimler Truck is planning to launch production of an electric lorry with a range of about 500 kilometres in 2024.

Test versions of the eActros LongHaul will already be out on the road from this year onwards, the company announced near Stuttgart on Monday.

Production of the first eActros started last year in Wörth, in the western state of Rhineland-Palatinate. That truck is powered by three or four battery packs, depending on the version, reaching a range of up to 400 kilometres.

Daimler Truck, which bills itself as a global market leader for commercial vehicles and employs over 100,000 people, has already committed to transitioning from combustion engines towards cleaner technologies such as fuel cells and batteries.

The truck industry is under pressure from the EU to meet binding climate protection targets. New models are required to emit an average of 15% less carbon dioxide by 2025 and at least 30% by 2030, compared to 2019-20. Manufacturers will be subject to heavy fines in case these requirements are not met.