(February 14, 2022) Customers place the same demands on battery-electric vans as they do on equivalent vehicles with combustion engines. At the top of the list is complete reliability even in the most difficult weather conditions, because commercial customers depend on their vans not letting them down — even in ice and snow.
   

   


This is why Mercedes-Benz Vans tests all of its electric vans in extreme climatic conditions such as snowy and icy roadways, in cutting winds and at temperatures up to negative 30 degrees. These conditions create real endurance tests both for the vehicle and the team of developers.

At the challenging testing grounds at Sweden's Arjeplog, close to the Arctic Circle, vehicles undergo a variety of tests in which the effects of extreme cold on handling, ergonomics, thermal management and cabin comfort are examined. The low-temperature resistance of drive components, heating systems, software and interfaces are tested in specifically built cold chambers, where the vehicles are cooled down before the test drives. The charging behavior and charging management are examined and optimized precisely.



After completing half of the several weeks of planned tests it became clear that the next generation eSprinter defies both ice and snow, extreme temperatures and can handle the most difficult test cycles.

What is required of the next generation eSprinter was defined in close cooperation with customers, i.e. from the CEP sector (courier, express and parcel services) and bodybuilders.

Global offerings will include three battery versions and numerous body variants — from the panel van to the chassis for box bodies, the next generation eSprinter will not only open up new customer segments, but new markets such as the U.S. and Canada. Compared with the current eSprinter, the range will be more than double, depending on the configuration.

Production of the next generation eSprinter will start beginning in the second half of 2023 in Charleston (South Carolina, USA) and then in Germany's Duesseldorf and Ludwigsfelde. A central guiding principle at Mercedes-Benz is sustainability, and thus the next generation eSprinter will be produced CO₂-neutrally.

Mercedes-Benz has invested around 350 million euros in the next generation eSprinter. Approximately 50 million euros have been invested in adapting the production in the three plants.