- Agile Unimog U 218 with elevated work platform
- Phenomenal handling in off-road terrain
- Operability even in the most difficult-to-reach places
A fleet of no fewer than 40 Unimog U 218 vehicles is in operation keeping the electricity supply in Italy in working order. Delivered last year to Enel, one of Italy’s biggest electricity suppliers, the special vehicles with their elevated work platform have proved their worth right from day one. A total of 112 Mercedes-Benz Unimog vehicles are in operation for Enel. It is their task to make urgent repairs and essential maintenance work possible even in the toughest of terrain. This involves a rapid response in emergencies such as those where power lines need repairing after snowdrifts or landslides. The Unimog vehicles therefore have to be capable of operating off the beaten track and in areas where normal road-going trucks are out of their depth. Regardless of the season or weather, these are typical conditions experienced by the multifaceted Unimog. Thanks to the Unimog, the emergency teams of the electricity supplier are spared the need to wade through cumbersome terrain to arrive at otherwise difficult-to-reach spots.
Reliably en route on precarious paths
The Mercedes-Benz Unimog with its impressive off-road handling is destined for highly demanding tasks. Its portal axles ensure high ground clearance and great axle articulation whilst the differential locks allow extreme terrain to be tackled with ease. What’s more, the Unimog U 218 is particularly agile thanks to its turning circle of 12.6 m, which is similar to that of a passenger car. Short overhangs combined with favourable approach and departure angles increase manoeuvrability. Accordingly, the Enel network can rest assured that repair sites can be reached both rapidly and reliably. On-site as well as en route, the Unimog relieves the strain on the driver thanks, among other things, to its modern panorama cab which provides an unhindered view of the road and terrain.
The Unimog U 218 is part of the professional implement carrier model series and is equipped with a 130 kW (177 hp) four-cylinder engine. Mounted to the chassis, the Oil & Steel Scorpion 15 E work platform is controlled using the powerful yet sensitive working hydraulics of the Unimog. The telescopic arm can extend to a maximum working height of 15.9 m and has a lateral reach of 10.3 m. The basket can support a load of up to 200 kg.
112 Unimog vehicles in the Enel fleet
In addition to the 40 new Unimog U 218 models, a further eight Mercedes-Benz Atego 1024 4×4 vehicles equipped with a mounted crane were also delivered. The all-wheel-drive trucks deliver 175 kW (238 hp) and have strengthened axles and shock absorbers. But before accepting this delivery, Enel already relied on vehicles from Mercedes-Benz. Already in the fleet were 70 Unimog U 20 and two Unimog U 500 vehicles, not to mention 220 trucks from the Atego model series and 150 Sprinter vans.
