Mercedes-Benz VAN.EA Prototype Drive: Redefining Luxury MPVs
Mercedes-Benz is re-inventing the MPV concept with its new VAN.EA electric vehicle platform. The company is developing a luxurious multi-purpose vehicle that promises to offer passengers S-Class levels of luxury and refinement. According to Andreas Zygan, head of van development at Mercedes-Benz, “It is not a minivan. What we want to offer is a luxurious large limousine that is an alternative to the big SUV.”
The VAN.EA platform is one of four new electric vehicle architectures Mercedes-Benz is introducing before the end of this decade. It will underpin both commercial vans and premium MPVs. Two versions of VAN.EA are being developed: VAN.EA Commercial for business van users, and VAN.EA Private, designed to replace the current V-Class MPV.
The VAN.EA Private MPV boasts a completely different, more aerodynamic body developed with the help of Mercedes-Benz passenger car body engineers. This design ensures low levels of noise, vibration, and harshness, and features a complex rear suspension engineered with assistance from AMG. Unlike the MB.EA electric vehicle architecture, VAN.EA has its main motor at the front axle to allow for a flat floor from front to rear, enhancing load-carrying capacity.
Key Features of the Mercedes-Benz VAN.EA MPV
- The electric-powered Mercedes MPV is expected to be well-equipped, with features such as air suspension and rear-wheel steering.
- U.S.-market models are anticipated to be 4Matic, with a battery offering an EPA-rated range of more than 300 miles.
- The MPV rides and handles like a car rather than a commercial vehicle, thanks to its highly rigid body structure and advanced chassis engineering.
- Mercedes-Benz’s new digital brake system provides excellent feel and control, while the rear-steering system delivers great agility in tight corners.
During the prototype drive at Mercedes-Benz’s winter test facility near Arjeplog, Sweden, the interior noise levels were notably lower than in the luxurious V300d Exclusive. The body structure felt solid, with minimal resonance or noise from the e-motors. The driving experience was akin to driving an expensive, well-handling SUV, rather than a van.
Interestingly, while the VAN.EA platform is designed for electric vehicles, Mercedes-Benz is also developing a variant called VAN.CA, which will accommodate internal combustion engine powertrains. This ‘bridging’ architecture is intended to fill the gap as the transition to EVs progresses at a slower pace than expected.
The new Mercedes-Benz MPV represents a significant gamble in the luxury vehicle market, but the company is confident that customers will be willing to pay for a vehicle that combines space and luxury. As Benjamin Kaehler, chief engineer of Mercedes-Benz vans, notes, “This combination of space and luxury is rarely available from a single source.”
The Mercedes-Benz VAN.EA MPV is set to be available in 2026, marking a significant step in the company’s electric vehicle strategy and potentially redefining the luxury MPV segment.
