Mercedes reveals E-Class van with huge TV and 435-mile range
Mercedes-Benz is experienced in the electric van market, offering the eSprinter and eVito models to assist customers in transitioning from internal combustion engines.
Now, the German car giant has revealed the latest version of the EQV.
It intends to push its offering even further upmarket with premium technology, modern connectivity features, and one of the longest ranges seen on an electric van.
The VLE is the first model based on Mercedes’ new VAN.EA platform. This is the platform that will underpin its future van-shaped electric vehicles, including the VLS MPV, which majors on ultimate luxury.
Here’s all you need to know about it.
Measuring 5309mm in length, the VLE is lower and more streamlined than the outgoing V-Class and EQV models. It has a drag coefficient of just 0.25, matching that of the EQE SUV. It boasts a tiny turning circle of 10.9m, which should make manoeuvring a simple task.
The new VLE can carry between five and eight people in new, adjustable seats, which can be removed completely to create a huge 4078-litre cargo bay. The seats are equipped with rollers, meaning they can be wheeled away, rather than carried, if removed.
The VLE is all about transporting passengers in luxury, and the company has spared no expense inside.
In the front, drivers can make use of the Mercedes superscreen system, which spans the entire length of the dashboard, while those in the back benefit from a huge 31.3-inch television with 8K resolution. There’s also an AI voice assistant and over-the-air software updates.
To boost passenger comfort and ride quality, the VLE gets a newly developed rear axle, described by the brand as “extra smooth and super quiet”.
The VLE also uses map data to automatically adjust its aerodynamic settings on the motorway to boost efficiency. Ride height can be adjusted by up to 40mm to aid its efficiency gains.
The new VLE will be available with several powertrain options. The entry-level VLE 300 gets 268bhp and a huge 115kWh battery, which offers a driving range of 700km (435 miles). Thanks to its 800V architecture, it can gain 320km (199 miles) of range in just 15 minutes at a suitably fast charger.
A more powerful model, the VLE 400, will arrive soon, with 409bhp and a 0-62mph of 6.5 seconds. Meanwhile, new entry-level models are planned. These will be equipped with a smaller 80kWh battery.
Mercedes told Move Electric’s sister publication Autocar that it hopes the new VLE will open the door for new customers.
"We hope that we can address customers who aren't even looking at a V-Class today," chief engineer Benjamin Kaehler told Autocar.
"Maybe this could be a customer who's buying an E-Class today but wants an additional seat, or he wants just more space because he wants to transport a bicycle every once in a while, but the E-Class isn't big enough."
Future commercial vehicles based on the VAN.EA architecture will share the upmarket characteristics of the VLE, even though its interior 'touchpoints' will be less luxurious.
