Mercedes-Benz has announced pricing for the new eSprinter electric van, to start from £51,950.
Pricing is based on an eSprinter Van L2 H2 front-wheel drive, excluding VAT and OLEV grant, and is only offered in the PROGRESSIVE trim. The van is eligible for a government OLEV grant of up to £8,000, and also qualifies for Transport for London’s scrappage scheme and is exempt from ULEZ charges.
The van offers a range of up to 96 miles according to the WLTP test cycle, which although sounds low, Mercedes-Benz says it should suit plenty of applications with the European average daily van mileage of 60 miles.
There are two eSprinter variants to choose from, which centre around charge times to suit different commercial operational needs. The first comes with charging at a maximum of 20kW DC (which is essentially based on a three-phase supply that can be installed at most depots or offices with an existing three-phase supply) or there’s the option for the van to support 80kW rapid charging, which at a compatible charge point (more likely a rapid charge station on a trunk road) accelerates charging from 10-80% in 30 minutes, from the 20kW variant’s 120 minutes. The vans come with an eight-metre a mode 3 type 2 charging cable as standard to support slow/fast charging.
Like most electric vehicles, eSprinter also benefits from adjustable regenerative braking to recoup some of the energy used to accelerate, when braking.
Standard kit includes a heated seat for the driver with armrest, dual passenger seat, comfort overhead control panel, a full-width partition, height and rake adjustable steering wheel, TEMPMATIC air conditioning, wooden floor, linear speed limiter 120km/h (75mph), headlight assistant, heat-insulating glass, and 270-degree double-wing rear-end doors. In addition to DAB radio, the Mercedes-Benz audio system comes with a Bluetooth interface with hands-free function and a USB port.
In terms of safety, eSprinter includes as standard Active Brake ASSIST, Attention ASSIST, Crosswind ASSIST and Emergency eCall, double locks and Thatcham Category 1 approved alarm, remote locking, theft warning alerts and geo-fencing, thanks to Mercedes PRO connect.
Mercedes PRO connect comes with the van free for the first two years, offers real-time vehicle management enabling scheduling, route mapping, and battery charge levels and remaining range of an entire fleet at a glance.
A remote eCharging function allows for pre-programming of the cooling or heating while their van is still charging.
The Always Connected Package from Mercedes PRO connect, which is standard on the eSprinter, includes Simplified Fleet Communication, Optimised Assistance, Digital Records, Efficiency Fleet Management, Driving Style Analysis, Mobile Vehicle Assess and Digital eVan Management.
Internally, the van’s dimensions are no different than the diesel version, thanks to the batteries being located beneath the floor. The battery is also modular, so that in the event of any damage, four separate (and therefore cheaper) modules can be replaced independently of each other if necessary, rather than the whole lot. The battery is protected by an eight-year/ 100,000 mile warranty, and has an expected battery capacity of at least 70% after eight years.
There are five solid paints to choose from and five metallic, which incur an extra £565. Maturin black fabric upholstery is standard, while Caluma black fabric (£60) or black ARTICO man-made leather (£60) are additional options. While 16-inch steel wheels are standard, upgraded wheel options include 16-inch full wheel cover (£95), 16-inch black light alloy wheels (£755), and 16-inch light alloy wheels (£650).
For more information about the eSprinter, including list and option prices, visit: https://www.mercedes-benz.co.uk/vans/en/electric-vans
