Mercedes has given us a new, official look at its upcoming VLE – an all-electric van that’s set to be the first of a series of vehicles to use the firm’s all-important VAN.EA platform.
Moving to a new era of all-electric vans, the VLE will essentially be the mid-size model akin to an E-Class (hence the ‘E’ part of the name) with seating for up to eight people. Above it will sit the VLS van which Mercedes calls a ‘grand limousine’ and says will ‘define a unique segment of its own that bestows true greatness to automotive luxury’.
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Those are some strong words from the German car maker, and to back them up it’s revealed the results of long-distance tests of the VLE. The company hasn’t said what the VLE’s battery capacity will be, although sizes of up to 116kWh have been used in other Mercedes EVs. The VLE test car’s route went from Stuttgart to Rome, covering 683 miles, requiring ‘two short charging stops’ of 15 minutes each. That suggests a maximum range of around 250 to 300 miles – a significant improvement on the current EQV’s range of 226 miles.
We already know the VAN.EA platform will have a bespoke construction that’s designed to get the most out of an all-electric platform. This includes a range of cutting-edge technical capability drawn from Merc’s advances in passenger electric cars, including an 800V electrical system – which could allow for up to 320kW fast charging – as well as high-end suspension and chassis technology.
