Six-Figure Moonshot: Mercedes-Benz’s Electric Van Prototype
Mercedes-Benz is venturing into uncharted territory with its upcoming all-electric van. While the vehicle itself is still a ways from its official debut—we don’t even know the name yet, referring to it internally as “Van.EA”—this new platform represents a significant shift in Mercedes-Benz’s van strategy.
Van.EA may sound like a website, but it’s actually a brand-new electric-vehicle architecture that will eventually underpin all Mercedes-Benz vans. Recognizing consumer hesitancy about EVs, Mercedes-Benz is also working on a complementary combustion-engine platform. The most exciting part of the Van.EA project is it aims to produce a high-end people mover targeted at both the United States and China.
Beyond the Mall: A Luxury People Mover
If you’re familiar with the Toyota Alphard and Lexus LM, you’ll have a good idea of what Mercedes-Benz is aiming for: a high-end VIP transport vehicle, designed for chauffeuring and other uses beyond everyday errands.
While the luxury minivan is popular in China, it’s a relatively niche market in the U.S. While there are minivans available in the US, there aren’t any that deliver Benz-level luxury or that cater to buyers outside the traditional middle-class family.
Mercedes-Benz hopes to change that with the Van.EA. As Andreas Zygan, the development head, put it, private-use vans will no longer “have to carry the burden” of so many industrial components; that would push the price of a minivan into “hard sell” territory with discerning buyers. The vans team collaborated closely with colleagues from the passenger cars division in an attempt to differentiate the new van from its commercial roots.
The goal is for the new high-end people mover that uses the Van.EA architecture to become the preferred transport for VIPs. However, Mercedes-Benz wouldn’t be disappointed if it also became a shuttle vehicle for private schools.
What We Know About the Van
In terms of straightforward facts and figures, details are limited. The Van.EA will use an 800-volt architecture, which should allow for fast DC charging. The platform’s onboard unit can accept AC electricity at up to 22 kW when charging at home. All-wheel drive with dual motors is available. At this stage, specific power output numbers, battery chemistry and motor types haven’t been revealed, but Mercedes-Benz aims for an EPA range estimate of over 300 miles.
For those who prefer internal combustion, the Van.EA will be followed by Van.CA, a variant of the platform that uses internal-combustion powertrains. The CA shares roughly 70 percent of its components with the EA and will be built on the same production lines. The two offer several variants to satisfy various needs.
Driving the Van.EA Prototype
To get an early look at the new electric van, the team headed to Mercedes-Benz’s winter testing grounds outside Arjeplog, Sweden. The Van.EA was still in mid-development, with its exterior entirely camouflaged. The interior was a network of wires and shrouds designed to hide the components that were closer to production.
One thing that we could see was three large displays that spanned the whole width of the dashboard. There’s a big gauge display and two screens of similar size next to it; one for infotainment and the other for the front passenger. It is similar to the Hyperscreen, but more upright and symmetrical.
First, they drove up 10 and 15 percent grades with one side of the vehicle on dry pavement and the other on ice. A brake-hold feature kept the van from rolling backward. They tapped the accelerator and let the stability system handle the torque to the wheels that had the most grip. After a bit of wheelspin, it made it up with only slight lateral deviation.
Low-friction braking was also tested. The van was driven at 62 mph on solid ice, then the brakes were slammed as hard as possible. The ABS worked, and the ESC kept the vehicle straight. Engineers said that the goal was to ensure that the driver needed no more than a 90-degree steering input to keep the vehicle tracking straight; the test only needed a couple of slight turns in the 30-degree range.
The remaining two tests were simple. In the first, cones were set up in a square to gauge turning circle (the answer: impressive). Then the prototype was allowed to run on a long stretch of icy surface, as well as a large skidpad-type surface, to monitor how well the stability control works. Though you could make the steering wheel turn hard and use the accelerator in excess to make snowy drifts, the ESC worked to stop this from happening.
Other observations included a seating position that was more carlike than most vans. Visibility was excellent, except when the camouflage was in the way. The ride on snow and ice was smooth, and the body recomposed itself without any noticeable rocking.
The biggest challenge the Van.EA faces won’t be its construction, but whether it can win over wealthy Americans who might choose a traditional SUV, especially if they already own a three-pointed star. Mercedes-Benz believes that spaciousness is a luxury. The question, of course, is whether people are willing to see a van shape within their existing concept of luxury.
