Daimler's 1896 truck, the first in
the world

Mercedes-Benz's history of truck production can trace its roots back to the late 19th century, when Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach built the world's first goods transportation vehicle in 1896. Powered by a rear mounted 2-cylinder petrol engine producing 4 horsepower, it was hardly faster than the traditional horse and cart of the period. Around the same time, Karl Benz, inventor of the first motorised car, was developing what is now known as a van. He went on to begin truck production at the beginning of the 20th century. Both Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft and Benz & Cie individually produced various models of cars and trucks for the next 26 years, until 1926 when the two companies merged to create Daimler-Benz AG, whose vehicles were badged from then onwards as Mercedes-Benz. 

Three years earlier however, in 1923, both companies presented revolutionary new diesel engines intended for use in commercial vehicles. Benz & Cie had developed the world's first diesel powered truck, which proved to be far more fuel-efficient than its petrol alternative during testing, with fuel savings up to an impressive 86%. It was an in-line four configuration engine named the OB 2, which produced 45 horsepower.

Also in 1923, Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft revealed their new diesel engine, which was the world's first diesel to use air-injection technology. It too was a four-cylinder setup that produced a similar horsepower rating to the Benz alternative, at around 40hp. In September of that year a Daimler truck fitted with the new engine drove from Berlin to Stuttgart and back again over a ten day period, which at the time was an impressively long distance for what was a very basic machine. 

It was 1927 though when diesel production really took off, as Robert Bosch's diesel fuel injection pump, which he had begun developing in 1922, entered production for use in diesel-engined vehicles. The Mercedes L 5 model was fitted with the new diesel engine, named the OM 5. The OM prefix meaning 'oil motor' is still in use with Mercedes' latest diesel engines. Petrol power was still available at the time of the diesel engine's launch due to customers' scepticism of the new technology.

Since then the Mercedes-Benz company has grown larger and larger and evolved into the manufacturer we know today building reliable, durable diesel-engined trucks. To view the list of models and detailed information on them, click the link below: