Mercedes launches premium electric van EQV
After the eVito and eSprinter, Mercedes-Benz Vans is now launching the EQV, a fully-electric zero-emission van aimed at both private customers and transport service operators. The series version was presented today as part of the run-up to the IAA.
The EQV technical details largely correspond to the study that Mercedes presented at the Geneva Motor Show in March this year: The German automaker is claiming the electric van has a range of 405 kilometres, for the time being, since the final approval with official WLTP values is still pending. The consumption of 27.0 kWh per 100 kilometres is therefore also provisional. Located in the front of the engine compartment are the 150 kW electric motor, the power electronics and the transmission with a fixed ratio.
The lithium-ion battery is mounted in the underbody of the vehicle and therefore has no effect on the interior. The gross capacity of the vehicle is 100 kWh, of which 90 kWh can be used according to Mercedes’ calculations. The onboard charger enables three-phase AC charging with up to 11 kW. Mercedes specifies the DC charging capacity with a maximum of 110 kW, but also specifies a charging time from 10 to 80 per cent in “less than 45 minutes”. The maximum charging power is thus regulated from a certain point, but above the aforementioned SoC range, it is still 84 kW.
As is visible from the above photos, the CCS charging connection is located in the front bumper of the EQV, which is the first time that Mercedes tries this feature. With the eVito the charging connection is still located behind the driver’s door – so the charging cable can block the door in unfavourable circumstances. What the eVito has in common with the EQV is that they are both manufactured together with the other variants of the V-Class in Vitoria in northern Spain.
With the underbody battery, the full variability in the interior is maintained and allows a number of seat combinations. With two single seats in the rear, the EQV offers a compromise between comfort and storage space. With four individual seats, it becomes a representative shuttle vehicle, for example for hotel fleets or ride-sharing services. The individual seats can also be replaced by benches that allow the EQV to seat 7 or 8 passengers. If you want to extend the seats for transport purposes: the permissible total weight is still 3.5 tons. The catch: Mercedes does not yet mention the empty weight of the EQV, so the payload is unclear.
As with the EQC and the recently introduced PHEV versions of the A- and B-Class, Mercedes relies on various recuperation modes in the EQV. These can be selected using the shift paddles on the steering wheel. In D-Auto mode, the EQV uses navigation data, traffic sign recognition and information from the Intelligent Safety Assistants (radar and camera) and automatically adjusts the degree of recuperation in order to drive as efficiently as possible.
In contrast to the study presented at the Geneva Motor Show, Mercedes has not only changed very little in terms of technology but has also largely retained the already close-to-production appearance. The most striking feature is the radiator grille with the integrated LED strip, which is to be established as a distinctive feature of the EQ vehicles. The EQV also differs from the combustion V-Class in its special 18-inch rims in EQ design.
In the interior, too, the differences are marginal; accents and decorative seams in rose gold are intended to make the electric model recognisable as such. Mercedes designers have chosen this colour to stand for quality and electrification – so we will probably come across it more often in future EQ models.
Mercedes has not yet released prices for the EQV electric van.
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