Don’t expect to see these on the UK’s roads any time soon, as our regulations do not permit this axle configuration, but it is an interesting solution for those countries where it would be allowed – Ireland, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Finland and Slovakia.
Concrete transport, which demands a high payload, is directly impacted by battery weight. To reconcile operational efficiency, economic performance, and the imperative of decarbonisation, Renault Trucks and the German bodybuilder Schwing-Stetter have developed a dual innovation: this five-axle Renault Trucks E-Tech C, equipped with a fully electric mixer, capable of carrying up to 10 m3 of concrete.
This vehicle will be unveiled at the Schwing Stetter booth during the next edition of the Bauma trade fair, from April 7 to 13, 2025, in Munich.
Renault Trucks E-Tech C 10×4: Optimised manoeuvrability and payload
Concrete transport requires a high payload for both technical and economic reasons. For example, a diesel truck equipped with a conventional mixer can carry up to 8 m3 of concrete in most European countries, depending on national regulations. The transition to electric, due to battery weight, reduces this capacity. To address this, Renault Trucks has designed a unique five-axle model: the Renault Trucks E-Tech C 10×4, capable of carrying up to 10 m3 of concrete.
Despite having an additional axle, this truck maintains excellent manoeuvrability, which is essential for navigating urban environments and accessing restricted construction sites. Thanks to a redesigned architecture – including the vertical repositioning of the batteries behind the cab – the freed-up chassis space allows for a short wheelbase and a reduced turning radius.
140km range
Additionally, Schwing Stetter has developed a fully electric concrete mixer, directly powered by the truck’s batteries. This integrated solution enables zero CO2 emissions during operation.
With a range of up to 140 km with a 45-minute intermediate charge (or 110 km on a single charge), this truck can complete four daily trips of 35 km, a distance well suited to typical routes between concrete plants and construction sites. Renault Trucks supports its customers in selecting the right number of batteries and optimising the charging strategy, avoiding oversizing that could reduce payload capacity, increase total operating costs, and unnecessarily enlarge the environmental footprint.
Thanks to optimal battery sizing, increased payload capacity, and lower energy costs, this new electric vehicle ensures a competitive cost per transported cubic meter of concrete compared to diesel models while complying with the strictest environmental regulations.
The Renault Trucks E-Tech C 10×4 will be available in Switzerland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Finland, Slovakia, where regulations allow five-axle rigid trucks to operate at up to 42 tonnes (subject to national legislation). Renault Trucks is advocating for the harmonisation of European regulations to accelerate the adoption of electric technology for concrete transport.
With this joint innovation, Renault Trucks and Schwing Stetter reaffirm their commitment to decarbonising transport while meeting the productivity and competitiveness requirements of the concrete industry.