Exit petrol, enter green machines.
Metallica is one of the greatest rock groups in history. Can you even say that name without throwing up your hands in a heavy metal salute? I say no. Band members James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, Lars Ulrich, and Robert Trujillo are going to continue rocking the stage this summer in Europe with new custom trucks running on battery-electric and hydrogen power.
Italian truck manufacturer Iveco is building the vehicles that have the honor of hauling Metallica’s gear starting in Munich, Germany and traveling across the continent for 14 shows. Along the way, the band will hit Helsinki, Copenhagen, Warsaw and Madrid with its convoy of electric guitars, drum kits, microphones, and amps.
For this tour, Iveco built electric and hydrogen-powered S-eWay and S-Way Metallica Special Edition heavy-duty trucks. Each has black matte bodywork and electric yellow designs to match the brand’s 72 Seasons album. They look appropriately menacing in pictures and will be unmistakable on the road.
Brett Murray/Metallica
As reported by Jalopnik, the latest hydrogen-powered fuel-cell EVs from Iveco can go up to 800 kilometers, or nearly 500 miles, before requiring a fill-up. The S-eWay trucks have a range of up to 500 kilometers (311 miles) and the S-Way LNG range is an estimated 1,600 kilometers (994 miles). Metallica will also reportedly use all-electric minibus shuttles made by Iveco at the concert sites.
This isn’t the first time Metallica has shown an interest in the environment. Among other initiatives, the band played in Antarctica last year, using generators powered by a sustainable jet fuel blend.
Iveco
“The concert itself was held inside a transparent dome, providing a unique acoustic experience while also protecting the pristine surroundings,” reported Metal Injection (which is a publication I didn’t know existed until today but will be visiting more often). It had to be the wildest Metallica gig on record, and drummer Ulrich described the concert tent to Conan O’Brien.
“Part of the deal was we couldn’t disturb the environment; the penguins and all the incredible wildlife down there,” Ulrich said. “So the only thing you could hear in that tent were acoustic drums and James’s vocals.”
The band will be touring stateside again starting in August. They’re incredible in concert, so if you haven’t seen them live yet, don’t miss them. Meanwhile, go find “For Whom the Bell Tolls” on Spotify (that’s my favorite) and get your fists pumping.
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