Mercedes-Benz renews truck line for the Proconve P8

By Décio Costa | Translated by Jorge Meditsch

Mercedes-Benz presented this Wednesday, 10/19, a new truck lineup renewed according to the demands of the next phase of the Proconve P8 emission regulations, equivalent to Euro 6. The new portfolio should be a highlight at the Fenatran 2022, in November. Besides the less pollutant vehicles, which means fuel consumption reduction, the manufacturer updated the line with more safety and convenience items, higher power and more resources.

To meet the new norms, Mercedes-Benz will produce the BlueTec 6 technology engines in Brazil. They have a more robust post-treatment system, reducing by 80% nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and by 50% particulate material emissions compared to the current Proconve regulations (Euro 5).

According to the company, the new phase of the pollution control program creates the need for unprecedented and more complex test cycles, not only for vehicle homologation, but also to ensure the perfect performance of the post-treatment system over 700 thousand kilometers.

“The truck must meet the emission limits in real traffic over its lifespan like a brand new model. To achieve this, periodical tests shall be done even in the customer’s vehicle”, tells Paulo Jorge, manager of the regulation and homologation area of Mercedes-Benz.
With the adequation of the models with the BlueTec 6 technology, the OM 924 LA engine of the Accelo and Atego truck families is now available with 163 cv through 321 cv, with torque from 700 Nm through 1,250 Nm.

For the light and medium models of these ranges, the brand will now offer hill start assist and the option of a new generation of the automated transmission Powershift, now with a control lever in the steering column and electronic stability control. In the Atego line 6×2, 8×2, 6×4 and 8×4 versions, the item will be standard.

The heavy-duty Actros and Arocs maintain the OM 460 LA engine with 449 cv, 479 cv and 495 cv, with respectively 2,200 Nm, 2,300 Nm and 2,400 Nm of torque. The Actros line also incorporates the most recent generation of the OM 471 LA engine, with 530 cv and 2,600 Nm. According to the manufacturers, this is the brand’s most powerful engine and may reduce fuel consumption by 8%.

The Actros lineup gains a new configuration with the Space cabin, with a low roof and analogic panel. The option will replace the road Axor, which will be discontinued from next January, after 18 months in the market and close to 100 thousand units sold in the country. For off-road use, there is the 6×4 Arocs.

“It is a version for the heavy-duty entry segment, which will become orphan with the end of the Axor and is responsible for 50% of the 6×2 configuration”, explains Roberto Leoncini, Mercedes-Benz do Brasil’s trucks and buses sales and marketing vice president. “Unfortunately, it is impossible to make the necessary change in the electronic architecture for the Euro 6 in the Axor.”

The Mercedes-Benz truck line updates are a result of a R$ 2.4 billion investment cycle programmed from 2018 through 2022. The resources were also used to improve the engine plant and new tools.

The prices of the models are not yet defined and will be released at Fenatran 2022. Nonetheless, the manufacturer previews an increase of 15% to 20%, depending on the model.