Mercedes-Benz Trucks has just made headlines worldwide after smashing a Guinness World Record by reversing its all-electric eActros 600 truck for a staggering 124.7 kilometres without stopping – the longest distance ever driven in reverse by an articulated truck.
The feat, pulled off at the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, blew the previous record of 89km (set in the USA in a diesel truck) right out the water. Behind the wheel was 50-year-old Marco Hellgrewe, a German Armed Forces officer and truck enthusiast who previously set a similar record back in 2008.
Driving in reverse for over six hours on a track known for its sharp bends and tight corners – normally used for car racing – Hellgrewe managed an average speed of 20km/h, navigating 476 bends like a pro. But he’s not done yet. Mercedes-Benz Trucks plans to take the eActros 600 a step further by reversing an extra 30km on public roads to their new Global Parts Center in Halberstadt, raising awareness for road safety, driver image, and e-mobility.
The eActros 600, launched late 2024, is already being hailed as the future of electric long-haul trucking. With 621kWh of battery capacity and a real-world range of 500km (easily doubling that with en-route charging), the truck is built for serious work – and now, record-breaking too.
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Marco, who also trains young truckers, said: “Bringing the record home in an electric truck is a big win for the future of transport. We showed that electrification and driver skill go hand-in-hand. This is about road safety, trucker respect, and what we can do behind the wheel.”
Big ups to Mercedes-Benz Trucks and Marco Hellgrewe for putting the spotlight back on truckers – and showing the world what electric trucks can really do, even in reverse!
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