Mercedes Teases All-Electric Van Ahead of U.S. Return

Mercedes released teaser images of what will be a new line of family-sized all-electric vans. Based on its EV-only VAN.EA platform, the German automaker is confident enough to bring it back to the U.S. market where it’s been out of the people-mover segment for some time.

Vans. Remember them? Family-sized models – as opposed to commercial models — have gone from being a major part of the American market to a niche occupied by only a handful of brands.

Mercedes-Benz is betting there just might be an opportunity there after being out of the people-mover segment for some time. And it’s dropped some teaser images of the line-up its working on, describing the new model as a “luxurious, elegant, and spacious limousine.”

There’s just one twist: the production model set to debut in 2026 will be battery-powered, riding on the dedicated VAN.EA architecture that will be shared with a variety of different-sized vans.

What is it?

“Hello world! Here we go – Mercedes-Benz Vans’ vision of a new era. This is just a first glimpse, but rest assured: there is much more to come…” the automaker said in a statement accompanying the first teaser images of its all-electric van.

Mercedes actually has provided some insight into what’s to come and, it turns out, there are two derivatives of the new platform, the VAN.EA-P architecture to be used for family-sized vans, the VAN.EA-C architecture to serve commercial applications. It’s not clear yet but generally expected that Mercedes will drop the current, electric eSprinter van when the new EV reaches market as it will be more efficient and make better use of its underlying battery-electric drivetrain.

“VAN.EA enables a clear distinction between privately positioned vans in the luxury segment and commercial vans in the premium segment,” the automaker claims, and the retail packages “will range from high-end family vehicles and exclusive VIP shuttles to spacious limousines tailored to the most discerning customers.”

Range and drivetrains

As with most new EVs, those based off the VAN.EA platform are expected to offer multiple drivetrain configurations, including single and twin-motor versions. The automaker has promised the most efficient version should get “well over” 500 kilometers, or more than 310 miles, of range.

While details have yet to be released, we can expect to see the retail vans come equipped with the Tesla-style NACS charging port, rather than the older CCS receptacle found on current Mercedes-Benz EVs, such as the EQS and EQE. Those models also are set to migrate to the NACS standard by the time the VAN.EA family is ready for production, however.

No details have been released on the electrical architecture of VAN.EA models though it’s also expected they will move to 800-volts which offers advantages including faster charging.

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Autonomous driving

Mercedes has been racing to not only catch up to, but leapfrog the semi-autonomous technologies offered by manufacturers like Ford, General Motors and, of course Tesla. We can expect to see that become apparent once the new EV vans come to market.

The company has already launched a Level 3 system in its S-Class line that allows motorists to not only take hands off the wheel but eyes off the road, at least at slower speeds under carefully selected conditions. That Drive Pilot technology is now available in parts of Europe and the U.S., including the state of California.

Mercedes has indicated a goal of increasing both the speeds and conditions under which Drive Pilot can operate. The automaker has also signaled a goal of introducing a Level 4 autonomous driving system on the commercial VAN.EA-C line. That could allow such things as driverless last mile deliveries or shuttles between warehouses.