What if electric trucks had finally found their perfect playground?

At TruckStop, we enjoy manufacturers’ press tests… but let’s be honest, we prefer the days spent with transport operators. Why? Because a truck is truly judged when it is working. Dropping off one skip, picking up another, setting off immediately again, carrying out one manoeuvre after another, driving through the city, heading to a construction site and then returning to the depot. It is in those moments that a truck’s qualities become apparent… and where its small weaknesses can also emerge.

We head to Toulouse, to Corudo. Thomas Lopez, Logistics Director, hands us the keys to a MAN eTGS that the company is currently testing. This 6x2-4 rigid truck, in its 28-449 version, is equipped with a 20-tonne Dalby hooklift. A full working day awaits us, under exactly the same conditions as the company’s drivers, and that is precisely what I am looking for with this field test.

At first glance, the exterior looks identical to a diesel version. Only the truck’s very distinctive colour hints at its environmentally friendly nature. Before spotting the badge on the doors, it is difficult to tell that this attractive MAN runs without a single drop of diesel. Visually, the eTGS retains all the proportions of the conventional TGS. The same cab, the same practical access, the same interior ergonomics. In reality, the entire revolution is hidden beneath the cab and within the chassis.

As for the wheelbase, I am just 50 mm longer than an equivalent diesel rigid, so, honestly, nothing really changes. On the other hand, the batteries replace the fuel tanks, and MAN has intelligently made their layout completely modular. Depending on the application, they can be distributed differently to optimise axle loads or leave room for specific equipment, such as a behind-the-cab crane, for example. Here, I am driving the version fitted with five battery packs, providing a net capacity of 400 kWh (445 kWh gross), which will be more than enough for today’s work.

Let’s be clear: with this freedom to choose both the number of battery packs and the vehicle configuration, MAN offers an intelligent approach that shows the manufacturer has not simply electrified an existing truck. MAN has considered bodybuilders’ needs from the very beginning and, depending on the application, you will not necessarily need so many batteries.

Once on board, there is not much difference, which makes getting familiar with the truck extremely quick. Once moving, nothing really changes either. However, after a few kilometres, it quickly becomes clear that the driving style can genuinely be optimised to get the very best from the truck. Thanks to its ease of use and, above all, the vehicle’s behaviour, just a few minutes are enough to realise that this truck can be driven differently.

Generally speaking, on every electric vehicle test I carry out, I notice exactly the same thing. The truck glides more easily, there is less “mechanical” resistance and inertia becomes a real advantage for economical driving. There is no doubt about it: this MAN offers all the benefits of these new-generation trucks.

During the first skip swap, I engage the power take-off. The hooklift starts operating and… nothing! It feels incredibly strange because there is no engine roar, no vibration. Only the hydraulic noise from the equipment remains, and I have to admit that it is almost disturbing at first. We have always associated these operations with the engine revving up. Here, the brain is searching for a sound that no longer exists.

In the end, you get used to it much faster than you might imagine, especially since the work is done exactly the same way. I know this type of operation well, having carried it out for several years in my own company with equivalent diesel equipment, so believe me when I say that using this truck is incredibly easy.

If there is one technology that truly convinced me during this day of urban operation, it is this one: One Pedal. On paper, the principle seems simple: you lift off the accelerator, and the truck slows down while recovering energy. In reality, it completely changes the way you drive. If the driver anticipates just a little, I would even say you can almost forget about the brake pedal. It is simply brilliant—you let the truck do the work.

As the kilometres go by, this way of driving becomes incredibly natural. So much so that after driving on the Toulouse ring road, when approaching the L’Union toll plaza, I hardly use the brakes at all. The truck slows itself down with impressive smoothness. Once you’ve experienced it, it’s difficult to go back.

This is probably what surprised me the most. After swapping my first skip, I find myself carrying a full load of concrete waste. On the weighbridge, the truck is clearly approaching the authorised 28 tonnes (the specific regulation for electric trucks). Behind the wheel? I almost feel as if I am still driving empty.

Yet, when I look at the technical specifications, the power figures are nothing extraordinary. With 330 kW, or 449 hp, let’s say it’s perfectly respectable for a rigid truck, but nothing that would normally leave me speechless.

However, the feeling behind the wheel is completely different because I genuinely don’t feel the weight. The truck remains perfectly stable, even on the hills surrounding Toulouse. To understand why, I glance at the specification sheet and there it is: 3,220 Nm of maximum torque. Let’s be clear—with a figure like that, we’re getting very close to what you would find behind the wheel of a large Swedish V8.

At this point, I have to be completely honest with you: I am thoroughly enjoying myself behind the wheel. The instantly available torque completely masks the weight of the rigid truck, and above all, there is absolutely no interruption in power delivery as the truck shifts gears, even though the transmission has only four gears.

To be totally transparent, I never even engaged first gear. It is probably only needed when towing and starting under maximum load! Here, you simply pull away in second gear, and before you know it, you’re already in fourth with astonishing ease. Acceleration is strong, perfectly linear, and the climbs along the A68 motorway disappear without the slightest effort.

As you already know, it is no secret that I remain deeply attached to diesel trucks. And yet… as every time I test this type of vehicle, after several hours behind the wheel, it is impossible to deny the obvious.

These electric trucks are simply less tiring to drive.

The silence, the absence of vibrations, the smooth acceleration, the One Pedal system—everything contributes to making driving far more relaxing.

I also understand much better why Corudo’s drivers quickly embraced this truck. Thomas, who is with me throughout the day, points out how rapidly drivers have accepted this type of vehicle. So far, every driver who has tested the electric truck has come back without handing in their resignation! Quite the opposite—the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

There is, however, always one recurring concern: the fear of running out of electricity.

This field test also highlighted a few details that still bother me. The main one concerns the power take-off (PTO).

Our truck is equipped with a PTO comparable to the gearbox-driven PTO found on a conventional truck. In practical terms, every operation involving the hooklift requires shifting into neutral. In certain situations, this slightly reduces the fluidity of the operation.

MAN’s future ePTO, which has already been announced, should largely solve this issue, as it will be the equivalent of an engine-driven PTO on a diesel truck. In practice, this means you will be able to move forwards, reverse, manoeuvre and operate the hooklift at the same time. Believe me, this will be a genuine advantage in day-to-day operation.

Another point worth mentioning concerns the steering. When the truck remains completely stationary while operating the hooklift, the steering assistance is no longer active. You need to move forward slightly for the power steering to return.

Nothing critical, but it is exactly the kind of detail that no traditional manufacturer press test would ever reveal, and I have to admit that it bothered me during the day.

At the end of this day, one thing is perfectly clear. For an operation such as Corudo’s, covering between 200 and 300 kilometres per day, range is no longer the issue. Four battery packs would probably have been more than sufficient.

The real challenge now lies elsewhere. Charging stations, available electrical power, the cost of installing charging infrastructure at the depot, energy contracts—in short, everything surrounding the truck itself.

Buying an electric truck is no longer simply about choosing a vehicle; it now means building an entire ecosystem around it. Naturally, the manufacturer supports its customers throughout this process. MAN is one of the leaders in this field and, together with energy providers such as ENEDIS, the German manufacturer offers solutions that deserve serious consideration.

In certain cases, the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) can quickly become favourable because, at the time of writing, the available incentives completely change the equation.

I say it every time, and although I remain a passionate diesel enthusiast, I also owe you complete objectivity.

Once again, this working day at Corudo clearly demonstrates that the electric truck is no longer simply a technological showcase.

For urban and suburban operations, the MAN eTGS is already a genuine production tool.

Its level of comfort is outstanding, and the driving experience is simply remarkable. The instantly available torque completely transforms the truck’s behaviour and, above all, you very quickly forget that you are driving an electric vehicle.

There are still challenges ahead, particularly regarding charging infrastructure and energy supply, but one thing is certain.

For this type of operation, the MAN eTGS, here in its 6x2 version, is no longer trying to convince anyone.

It is simply demonstrating that it is already ready.

Text: Fabien Calvet Photos: Fabien Calvet and Nadège Cesse