Mercedes is set to reveal the production version of the eSprinter in February and it will have a range of up to 300 miles on a single charge.
Right now, the electric van market is looking a little sparse. Sure, Ford is beginning to roll out its electric Transit but other than that, the options are pretty thin on the ground. That could change next year when Mercedes unveils its eSprinter, which is now undergoing long-range testing ahead of its launch.
Mercedes will unveil the production version of its new, all-electric eSprinter van in February 2023. But before then, it’s testing out the tech that will run the new EV. To do this, Mercedes set out onto the streets of Germany with a pre-production eSprinter van to see how far it could travel on a charge.
The model used was fitted with the largest of three battery configurations that will be available on the upcoming van. According to the automaker, the van managed to travel from the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart to Munich Airport and back again, a journey of 295 miles.
Over the course of the drive, the eSprinter prototype tackled inner-city traffic as well as federal roads and motorways to simulate the kind of real-world delivery routes the finished van might be used on, climbing almost 2500 feet above sea level through the mountainous Swabian Jura region.
The potential 300 mile range of the new eSprinter is fairly impressive, but Mercedes hasn’t said if the van was loaded up with anything for the test, which would have a massive impact on its potential range. But still, it’s a stark contrast to the 126-mile range targeted by Ford and its electric Transit van.
Mercedes also shared that the new eSprinter will be available in several configurations. The model shown here is a pre-production version of the extra-long, high roofline eSprinter. But, Mercedes said “numerous configuration options” would offer high capacity, long ranges and flexibility for buyers.
More details of the new van are yet to come, but Mercedes confirmed that it will launch in February 2023 and production will begin at the Charleston, South Carolina, plant later next year.
