Mercedes Announces New Modular Electric Architecture For Future Vans

Mercedes has large plans for its aboriginal van lineup, arsenic it has conscionable announced a brand-new EV-dedicated platform. The archetypal exemplary to beryllium based connected the caller Van Electric Architecture (VAN.EA) volition debut successful 2026, paving the mode for much midsize and ample vans.

The VAN.EA, which was developed from scratch, consists of 3 modules designed to accommodate to antithetic types of fully electrical vehicles. The beforehand module including the electrical centrifugal volition beryllium communal among each of them, the scalable halfway module volition accommodate high-voltage artillery packs of antithetic capacities, and the rear module volition beryllium offered with oregon without an further electrical centrifugal adding AWD capability.

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The VAN.EA level volition service arsenic a basal for premium commercialized vans, backstage luxury vans, and campers successful the midsize and ample segments. The institution didn’t specify which 1 volition get archetypal successful 2026 but showed mockups for each of them successful the authoritative presumption giving america an thought of their antithetic size. The caller models volition beryllium focused connected “efficiency and performance” successful each antithetic aspects including “aerodynamics, drivetrain, tires, and chassis”. Mercedes promises precocious driving-range figures with a smaller artillery pack.

The VAN.EA-P (midsize backstage luxury vans) volition fulfill the roles of VIP shuttles, mobile offices, and family-friendly leisure activities with a planned scope of implicit 500 km (311 miles). Initially, the rider vans volition beryllium susceptible of Level 2 automated driving, offering Level 3 by the extremity of the decade.

On the LCV front, the VAN.EA-C level (midsize and ample premium commercial vans) volition beryllium designed to screen the needs of professionals. Future Mercedes vans connected this level volition beryllium disposable successful plentifulness of antithetic configurations, including courier, delivery, ambulance, grocery, municipal, flatbed, RV, etc. The adjacent procreation of LCVs volition besides payment from integer services done the MB.OS system. Initially, they volition besides enactment Level 2 automated driving, and according to the carmaker, they’ll beryllium capable to scope Level 4 by 2030.

Mercedes Vans wants to fortify its presumption successful Europe which is presently its biggest marketplace accounting for 60% of planetary sales. It besides hopes to summation income successful the US, focused connected premium commercialized ample vans, and successful China focused connected luxury backstage vans. In that context, Mercedes confirmed it volition motorboat VAN.EA-based “luxurious backstage electrical midsize vans” for the archetypal clip successful some the American and Chinese markets.

Mercedes plans connected reducing the van variants by implicit 50% compared to the ICE-powered lineup, allowing much businesslike economies of standard portion covering the aforesaid usage cases for customers. The extremity is for the EV stock to summation from 20% successful 2026 to much than 50% by 2030.

The VAN.EA-based models volition beryllium produced successful a caller nett carbon-neutral mill located successful Jawor, Poland. The larger cab chassis VAN.EA volition besides beryllium manufactured successful Düsseldorf, Germany, portion the midsize vans volition besides beryllium produced successful Vitoria, Spain with further locations to beryllium added successful the future.