- Mercedes-Benz says the upcoming VLE will offer a “class-leading” EV range
- Huge battery equals an impressive range of 435 miles on a single charge
- The modular interior can accommodate up to eight people
Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the vehicle that will replace its current EQV model and push its range of stylish, premium V-Class vans to the next level, with a strong range of electric powertrains promised from launch.
The VLE will be the first model to run on the German brand’s boxless VAN.EA platform, which will go on to underpin a range of electric vans and commercial vehicles. It also promises an impressive 268 hp and a range of more than 435 miles in the debut VLE 300.
This luxury people’s car will have a frankly huge 115kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery, while an 800V electric architecture will allow for ultra-fast charging speeds, with Mercedes suggesting 199 miles of range can be added in just 15 minutes.
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Bi-directional charging will allow users to drive or charge other electrical items from the van’s battery pack, opening the door to Vehicle-to-Grid compatibility.
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A more powerful all-wheel-drive version, badged the VLE 400, is expected to arrive later this year, which will deliver 409bhp and a much quicker 0-62mph sprint time of just 6.5 seconds, although there’s currently no word on how that will affect the maximum driving range.
The sleek, stylish van has been deliberately designed to be as streamlined and efficient as possible, borrowing lessons learned from the latest CLA to improve its drag coefficient factor and optimize the way it uses energy from the battery packs to reduce the need for charging stops.
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Not only is the upcoming VLE a looker, it also manages to be both practical and extremely advanced inside.
It can be configured to seat between five and eight passengers with rear seats that slide on rails and can be removed completely to free up an impressive 4,078 liters of cargo space, according to Autocar.
In addition, these seats have built-in rollers so they can be easily stored and moved around a garage when not in use. As someone who has to manually drag seats in and out of my aging Volkswagen Transporter to make room for broken motorcycles, this sounds like a godsend.
Customers who want a more luxurious experience can specify electronically adjustable seats that slide and move at the touch of a button.
What’s more, there’s an optional 31.3-inch panoramic 8K screen that uses split-screen functionality so rear passengers can watch separate shows or movies.
Mercedes says it also offers an eight-megapixel front-facing camera for video conferencing, which sounds far less pleasant.
Digitization continues up front, as the brand’s huge MBUX Superscreen also comes as an option, which effectively sees a 26 cm (10.25-inch) driver display, a 35.6 cm (14-inch) central display and a 35.6 cm (14-inch) screen for the entire front passenger.
There’s currently no word on pricing, but as the VLE looks set to represent the last word in van-like luxury, it won’t come cheap.
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