In 2026, Mercedes-Benz Trucks celebrates 130 Years of Trucks with a reconstruction of the 1896 Daimler motorized truck, widely considered the first of its kind. Powered by a two-cylinder “Phoenix” four horsepower engine, at the rear and a belt system driving the axles. Solid iron tires, steering by chains and the driver perched on a coach-style bench.
Within two years, the layout evolved, with the engine moved beneath the driver’s seat and eventually forward of the front axle, paving the way for increased payload capacity and higher performance. Daimler tested early trucks under real-world conditions at a brickworks before moving into production.
Fast forward a century to another milestone fleet managers know well: the launch of the Mercedes-Benz Actros in 1996, marking the shift from a primarily mechanical workhorse to a digitally integrated platform reshaping how fleets manage uptime, safety, and diagnostics. A decade later, features like Active Brake Assist pushed active safety even further.
Comparing the 1896 truck to a modern electric heavy-duty platform shows just how far the industry has come in safety. The original model relied solely on mechanical steering, basic suspension, and the driver’s skill compared to the latest eActros-based Safety Truck, which incorporates:
- 270-degree sensor fusion
- Advanced emergency braking systems
- Sideguard assistance technology
- Integrated electronic control systems
Where early trucks were essentially motorized wagons, today’s platforms are layered with technology designed to prevent crashes or reduce severity.
130 years: