Electric cars are now available in most sizes and formats, but when it comes to full-size electric vans, the range is slim.
Small batteries and slow charging have led to a limited range, thus limiting the customer base to niche markets such as short deliveries in cities.
The outgoing version of the Mercedes eSprinter was no exception with a range of only 15 miles, but this has now been settled.
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New drivetrain in old packaging
On the surface, the new Mercedes eSprinter looks much like the outgoing version.
The body is basically the same as before and is shared with the regular Sprinter with a diesel engine, but under the familiar shell a completely new powertrain has been fitted.
The body is unchanged from before – Photo: Mercedes
A big difference from before is that the electric motor sits under the floor at the rear axle instead of at the front under the hood. The drive is also sent to the rear wheels instead of the front wheels.
The power in the top version is 204 horsepower, and a weaker option with 136 horsepower is also available.
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Under the floor we also find the new eSprinter’s secret weapon, in the form of a significantly increased battery.
In the version we drove, the battery was a whopping 113 kWh, but in Europe the car is also offered with batteries of 81 and 56 kWh.
The large battery provides an official range of 44 miles, which is unmatched in its class. If you stick to city traffic only, you should almost be able to get a full 54 miles on one charge.
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Fast charging and air heat pump
It is not only the powertrain itself that has been updated, but also the associated equipment.
Among other things, the new eSprinter has been equipped with fast charging of up to 115 kW, in addition to the standard charger of 11 kW. In theory, this allows fast charging from 10 to 80 percent in 42 minutes.
The charging port is now behind the Mercedes star – Photo: Mercedes
The charging port has also been moved from just behind the driver’s door to a hatch in the middle of the front behind the Mercedes star, which is a much more practical location.
An air source heat pump is responsible for the heat in the passenger compartment, which is a big plus from an efficiency point of view in the winter.
Several lengths and heights
As I said, the body is the same as before, and since the entire driveline is under the floor, it does not intrude at all on the regular cargo area.
It is also here that you see the big difference to a car-based electric van like the Volkswagen ID.BUZZ. The cabinet is large, wide and high, and the car is rated so that you can load properly.
The cupboard is as big as in a normal Sprinter – Photo: Mercedes
As a van, the eSprinter will be offered in two different lengths and with a normal or high roof. The model will also be offered in a chassis version in two lengths, either with a flatbed or ready for its own superstructure.
The eSprinter we tested was a long and tall version, which is the only one offered in the US. The maximum load weight on this is just over 1.3 tonnes.
A go-kart-like driving experience
The driving experience can be described as more harmonious and balanced than in a traditional diesel van, and this is largely due to the placement of the heavy battery under the floor of the van.
The placement means that the weight distribution is almost completely evenly distributed between the front and rear axles, and the result is that the car is really nimble through the corners with limited roll.
According to the Mercedes representatives, the driving experience would be closest to go-kart-like, but this felt like something of an exaggeration in our seven-meter long test crew.
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Difficult refinement
The drivetrain also contributes to the harmonious driving experience. The noise level is very low in all modes, and on the motorway the cabin is well isolated from road and wind noise.
In addition, the car is really easy to drive smoothly. The calibration of the gas and brake pedals and regeneration is really good, and the transition between regeneration and disc brakes is impossible to notice in the pedal.
The car is very compliant and easy to drive in city traffic – Photo: Mercedes
The amount of regeneration can be adjusted using paddles on the steering wheel, and the Eco and Max Range driving modes help maximize range – including by limiting power.
Even in Comfort mode, however, our 204 horsepower machine couldn’t be accused of being particularly nimble. The effect is sufficient, but the classic ability of the electric car to quickly get out of traffic problems is not present.
Good ride comfort
As you would expect in a Mercedes Sprinter, the ergonomics are also good. You sit high and well, and with plenty of adjustment possibilities in the seat, it is easy to find a good driving position.
I, who am tall, would certainly have liked to push someone behind the seat, but it is a problem that I experience behind the wheel of pretty much all cars with a partition.
The rear view is secured by the fact that the center rear-view mirror consists of a camera – Photo: Mercedes
The side mirrors are large and good, and together with a well-functioning camera mirror in the middle means that you have a good view and that the car is easy to position.
Ride comfort is good, although it always gets a little bumpy in a lightly loaded van with leaf springs. The test car was loaded with a box of 200 kilos, and the location of the battery between the axles certainly helps the situation as well.
One of Mercedes’ best interiors
The interior of the new eSprinter is one of the best I’ve experienced from Mercedes in a long time in terms of the balance between touch controls and real buttons.
There are, among other things, physical buttons for the climate control and the volume of the stereo, as well as for the lights and the various safety functions.
The interior offers plenty of traditional, physical buttons – Photo: Mercedes
The MMI system is an updated version of the Mercedes MBUX, and works satisfactorily.
However, the steering wheel is of the same type as in Mercedes passenger cars and thus covered with touch buttons, which does not work very well in normal use and is completely useless when wearing gloves.
Another strange detail is that all electrical sockets, which include USB and both 12 and 230 volts, are located so that they are difficult to both see and reach from the driver’s seat.
A complete package
The new Mercedes eSprinter is probably the best electric van on the market.
Despite the fact that it is basically a combination of new technology pressed into an old chassis, it feels incredibly elaborate, with good comfort, a compliant drivetrain and a hard-to-beat refinement.
The new eSprinter could be the best electric van on the market – Photo: Mercedes
In addition, it offers a range and charging speed that makes it truly useful for most van drivers in and around our cities.
Irritations like the touch buttons on the steering wheel and the stupidly placed power sockets bother, but I have to say that this is one of the Mercedes models that I have been most convinced by for a long time.
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Rating of Mercedes eSprinter 4.5/5
Mercedes-Benz eSprinter 420 Box A3 (2024)
Engine: An electric motor in the back, 204 horsepower
Transmission: 1-speed automatic transmission, rear wheel drive
Electrical range: 440 km
Weight: 2,758 kg
Dimensions (length/width/height): 6967/2020/2663 mm
Award: From SEK 609,000