Mercedes-Benz has expanded its long-haul range in South Africa with two specialised heavy-haul models, the Arocs 4863AS/48 SLT and the Actros 4058S/39.
Introduced this year, these trucks are designed for high gross combination mass loads and tailored to the demands of mining and energy logistics. Both arrive factory-ready with equipment such as double oscillating fifth wheels, ensuring they can handle oversized loads without modification.
Olaf Petersen, Vice President for Sales and Marketing at Daimler Trucks South Africa (DTSA), explains: “In the specialised trucking segment, we understand that our customers demand more than just power. They need reliability, safety, and long-term value they can count on.”
At the top of the range sits the Arocs 4863AS/48 SLT, a truck built for extreme loads. Its 15.6-litre OM473 engine produces 630 horsepower and 3 000Nm of torque. The model is rated for a gross combination mass of 250 tons, making it suitable for the largest haulage tasks.
One of its defining features is full-time 8x8 traction, achieved through a torque proportioning transfer case. This allows the truck to negotiate tight turns with multi-axle trailers without the axle conflict common in conventional systems. The design also meets national requirements that 20 per cent of the mass of any vehicle combination must be carried by driven axles.
Alongside the Arocs is the Actros 4058S/39, a lighter but still formidable option. It uses the same OM473 engine, tuned to 580horsepower and 2 800Nm of torque. With a 6x4 configuration and a gross combination mass rating of 180 000 kg, it is the highest-rated tandem-drive axle truck tractor available in South Africa. Its braking system combines a compression brake producing 380kW with the TRC, giving sustained braking power of at least 500kW.
The Actros is designed with long-haul comfort in mind. Its cab is a flat-floor, high-roof sleeper with double bunks, offering space and visibility for drivers on extended journeys. Beneath the cab sits a large radiator to ensure cooling under heavy loads. Like the Arocs, it comes equipped with a double oscillating fifth wheel and tow hitches, allowing push-pull operations with another Actros for combinations approaching 300 tons.
Both trucks are supported by Mercedes-Benz’s dealer network across Southern Africa, ensuring parts and technical expertise are available wherever operators work. Together, the Arocs and Actros demonstrate how engineering solutions can meet the challenges of hauling massive loads in tough conditions.
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