Mercedes is bringing a luxurious mid-size electrical van to US

Mercedes-Benz will add a luxurious mid-size electrical van to its U.S. lineup, the automaker mentioned on Tuesday.

Mercedes’ native lineup presently has two vans within the type of the mid-size Metris and full-size Sprinter, although each are stripped-out business choices. The luxurious van shall be aimed toward non-public patrons, similar to massive households, tenting followers, and presumably even RV patrons.

The van shall be based mostly on a brand new devoted EV platform being developed to underpin all future vans at Mercedes. Dubbed Van.EA, the platform is scheduled to spawn its first mannequin in 2026. Timing for any Van.EA merchandise within the U.S., together with the luxurious van, hasn’t been introduced.

The Van.EA platform contains a three-module design that permits it to be simply tailored to varied automobile sizes. A entrance module homes high-voltage energy management {hardware} and an electrical motor, and is widespread to all automobiles based mostly on the platform. A middle module obtainable in numerous lengths and becoming numerous battery configurations determines the dimensions of the automobiles based mostly on the platform. A rear module incorporates the rear axle, both with a motor for all-wheel drive or with out for front-wheel drive.

Subsequent-generation Mercedes-Benz eSprinter

An early model of this idea is discovered within the platform of the 2024 eSprinter full-size electrical van that begins gross sales within the U.S. within the second half of 2023.

For the luxurious van, patrons can anticipate related options to what Mercedes affords in its luxurious automobiles and SUVs. This may embrace automated self-driving expertise, as much as Stage 3 on the SAE scale of self-driving functionality.

Mercedes has already had some success within the U.S. with van gross sales. The automaker mentioned it doubled its U.S. van market share from 8% in 2018 to 16% in 2022. Mercedes additionally mentioned it goals to have electrical vans account for 20% of its complete van gross sales by 2026 and 50% by 2030.

Earlier than the luxurious van arrives, Mercedes will replace its present mid-size van line, which incorporates the Metris and a luxurious choice often known as the V-Class that is offered abroad and contains an EQV electrical variant. The replace of the present mid-size van line is scheduled for this summer time. It is rumored the Metris shall be dropped from Mercedes’ U.S. lineup following the introduction of the replace.