With a total of 682.88 miles (1,099 kilometers), the private express and package service providers DPD Switzerland, the e-truck brand Futuricum and the premium tire manufacturer Continental have secured the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the longest distance covered by an electric truck without a charging stop. For the record, the partners used an e-truck that has already been in operation in delivery traffic for six months, proving that sustainable, energy-efficient and cost-efficient electric mobility in the transportation industry is not a mobility concept of tomorrow, but is already a reality on roads today.    

Record-breaking vehicle with high-capacity battery and efficient tires

This record was set by a Futuricum truck, which has been in use for DPD Switzerland in regional traffic. “For DPD Switzerland, we have converted a Volvo FH to an electric drive. The 19-ton truck now has over 680 hp and, with a capacity of 680 kilowatt hours, the largest truck battery in Europe on board,” explains Adrian Melliger, CEO of Designwerk Products AG, the company behind the Futuricum brand.  

In addition, the three partners opted for the Continental EfficientPro tires, which are designed for particularly low rolling resistance. “The upturn in electric mobility has put an even greater focus on the importance of particularly rolling resistance optimized tires,” says Hinnerk Kaiser, Head of Product Development Truck Tires EMEA of Continental. “Our tires enable high mileage and extremely low rolling resistance and thus offers the essential characteristics for the economical operation of electrically powered commercial vehicles. The EfficientPro is a tried-and-tested model that has been developed especially for long-distance transportation and focuses on range and low rolling resistance.”

682.88 miles (1,099 kilometers) in 23 hours and 392 laps

The partners found the best record conditions near Hanover on the high-speed oval at the Contidrom, Continental’s in-house test center. It is a 1.7-mile (2.8-kilometer) oval test track. In total, two drivers completed 392 laps in shifts of 4.5 hours each at an average speed of 31 mph (50 km/h), which is a realistic average value for everyday use. Initially, the weather conditions were not ideal with 57 degrees F (14°C) outside temperature and only around 73 degrees F (23°C) ground temperature. In addition, the wind blew at an average of 11 mph (18 km/h) with gusts of up to 25 mph (40 km/h). Nevertheless, after just under 23 hours, the partners were able to declare the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title of the longest distance covered by an electric truck without a charging stop with 682.88 miles (1,099 kilometers) driven.

Performance capability officially documented

With this record, the partners have set a joint signal for a future with sustainable drive systems in delivery traffic and demonstrated the suitability of today’s technologies for everyday use: “We decided to invest in electric mobility at an early stage. The Futuricum truck has been traveling between the depot in Möhlin near Basel, Switzerland, to the distribution center in Buchs/Zurich, Switzerland, for about six months now,” says Marc Frank, Strategy & Innovation Director at DPD Switzerland. “The e-truck can master the roughly 186 miles (300 kilometers) every day without any problems. We are proud that we have now been able to officially document our performance level.”

Info box

Start: 6:37 a.m. CET

End: 5:33 a.m. CET +1 day

Duration: 22 hours and 56 minutes

Record distance reached: 1,099 km (682.9 mi)

Average speed: 50 km/h (31 mph)

Average consumption 58 kWh/100 km (58 kWh/62 mi)

Vehicle curb weight incl. swap body: 15.5 metric tons

Official Guinness World Records™ title: Greatest distance by electric rigid truck, single charge