Starting in 2026, Mercedes-Benz will be moving all of its van architecture to modular EV underpinnings for both commercial and private applications. The upcoming Mercedes VAN.EA platform is different from the new 2024 eSprinter that just launched in North America. It will consist of a common front module that includes batteries and an electric motor driving the front wheels. This can be extended via a center module with more batteries to fit larger models. With an additional rear module, it can integrate a second electric motor adding AWD for off-road and foul-weather capability. Key metrics like battery capacities, power numbers, ground clearance, and weight aren’t yet known. Mercedes has not teased the new van designs, but they are promising camper versions from the factory—a no-brainer for the #vanlife and overland markets that continue to stay strong in the US and beyond.
Complementing the Mercedes VAN.EA platform, M-B is also ramping up its own High Power Charging Network, with up to 10,000 charging stations worldwide by the end of the decade. It is also developing a bespoke MB.OS operating system that will support over-the-air software updates as well as digital add-ons and services—including SAE Level 2 automated driving technology. The eSprinter has already shown that Mercedes can compete in the range game, with up to 275 miles between charges in varied driving, so we imagine a dedicated EV architecture might boost that number. If all this tech has you trembling, diesel-heads fear not, as the German automaker says it has no plans to discontinue its fossil-fueled van program in the foreseeable future.
Images: Mercedes-Benz
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