Der ERSTE E-LKW auf dem Kaspischen Meer! (5 TAGE CHAOS)

Summary

Elektrotrucker documents the Caspian Sea crossing of his Mercedes eActros 600 electric expedition truck as part of a planned global journey, with a target of no more than 80 charging stops. The truck has a 621 kWh LFP battery and a Bliss Mobil expedition body. A motorcycle is also being transported.

Charging and route planning

• In Baku, he charged at a depot with public access using a 320 kW GBT charger, paying about $0.15 per kWh. Adapters allow the truck to use both CCS2 and GBT connectors.
• He says public charging in Azerbaijan had worked reliably so far. He also notes the country’s growing number of electric cars and buses.
• His original, shorter route via Turkmenistan was not workable, so he opted for a much longer route through Kazakhstan.
• Before sailing, he contacted Kazakhstan’s charging operator, Kazakh Energy Charge. He describes its network as having a few 300 kW stations, but mostly 80–120 kW units—slower than ideal for a truck, yet potentially usable. The operator told him the stations support the truck’s required 200–1,000 V range. He had installed the operator’s app but had not yet tested charging there.
• His planned onward route also changed because a border crossing into Uzbekistan was reportedly unavailable to private travellers. He expected to take a major detour through northern Kazakhstan.

Ferry crossing and delays

The ferry service has no fixed departure timetable: ships leave when sufficiently full and conditions allow. The port process involved multiple queues, payment counters, and paperwork. An initial queue number suggested more than 200 trucks were ahead of him, and he was warned of a wait of several days.

A documentation mismatch involving the motorcycle meant buying an additional ticket and paying extra port fees. After the truck boarded the Zarifa Aliyeva, the vessel spent more than 24 hours anchored off Kazakhstan while waiting for a berth. From the initial port process to reaching Kazakhstan, the crossing took from Tuesday afternoon until Sunday morning.

The truck arrived with about 89% battery charge. The narrator says the LFP battery eased concerns about transporting an electric truck; this is his own assessment rather than a technical safety review.

eTrucker app and Manager features

The video includes a promotion for the eTrucker app and its fleet-management product, eTrucker Manager:

1. Charging-stop planning: The app lists truck-compatible charging locations and supports route planning around driving time.
2. Route sharing: Dispatchers can send a planned route and charging stops directly to a driver. The presenter says this could help drivers on their first electric-truck assignments.
3. Cost controls: Fleets can enter negotiated charging prices and show drivers which stations are cost-effective.
4. Invoice reporting: Uploaded invoices can be analysed to flag potentially unplanned or expensive charging sessions.
5. Energy-use overview: A map or heatmap can show where a fleet’s charging energy is being used, helping operators identify opportunities to negotiate prices or change providers.

These are product claims made in a promotional segment; the video does not present an independent test of the app or Manager.

Main speaker and sources

• Main speaker: Elektrotrucker, the truck’s driver and the video’s narrator.
• Other sources mentioned: Adventure Tours, which assisted with travel and border logistics; the Asco ferry operator and port staff; Kazakh Energy Charge, which provided charging-network information; and the eTrucker team, featured in the app promotion.