As Mercedes-Benz speeds toward an all-electric future globally, it is also electrifying its commercial segment in the U.S.
The luxury automaker will bring a battery-powered version of its workhorse Sprinter van to the U.S. and Canada in the second half of the year. The U.S. is the second-largest market for Sprinter vans after Germany.
Mercedes said it has invested about $375 million in developing the new eSprinter, including $161 million at plants in North Charleston, S.C., and Düsseldorf and Ludwigsfelde, Germany, to assemble it.
Auto Forcast Solutions expects Mercedes to build about 15,000 eSprinters globally in its first full calendar year of production. The forecasting firm noted that volume production in Charleston will begin this summer with “just a couple thousand” vehicles projected to be built there in 2024.
The eSprinter, built on Mercedes’ Electric Versatility Platform, will be offered with three battery options and can be configured as a delivery van, flatbed truck, people mover or ambulance.
Mercedes initially will bring the longest-range version of the cargo van to the U.S. The high-roof, long-wheelbase model has a 113-kilowatt-hour battery that delivers a driving range of up to 249 miles, based on WLTP estimates. The vehicle has a carrying capacity of 488 cubic feet.
Commercial customers prioritize cargo-hauling capability over driving range, said Jeff Aiosa, owner of Mercedes-Benz of New London in Connecticut. “In urban areas, the range isn’t as big of a concern,” said Aiosa. “The industry is all-in on electric. It’s a good thing we are also transitioning our commercial side to electric.”
The German automaker began selling the eSprinter, a battery-powered version of the boxy Sprinter van, in Europe in 2020. Mercedes has hesitated to bring the EV to the U.S. because of its limited driving range and the high cost of U.S. market homologation.
But the competitive landscape has changed. Emerging demand for electric delivery vans, tightening emissions regulations and new products from competitors have driven Mercedes to move ahead with a U.S. eSprinter.
Guidehouse Insights projects North American sales of battery-electric light commercial vehicles and delivery vans will reach 439,000 vehicles in 2030, up from about 48,000 in 2023.
Fleets are increasingly interested in going electric as more vehicle options become available for more use cases, particularly for local applications that don’t require much more than 100 miles per day, Guidehouse Principal Analyst Sam Abuelsamid told Automotive News.
“EVs offer substantial operating cost savings for fuel and maintenance,” Abuelsamid said. “The availability of commercial EVs from mainstream manufacturers with established dealer and service networks that can avoid excessive downtime makes these products more attractive to businesses.”
Mercedes-Benz’s established competitors in the large van sector either have launched or will soon launch electric vans, including the Ford e-Transit, Brightdrop from General Motors and Ram Promaster EV from Stellantis. Logistics giants Amazon, FedEx, UPS and DHL are also adding electric vans to their fleets.
“Without a competitive electric offering, Mercedes risks losing market share,” Abuelsamid said.
The new eSprinter’s modular platform will appeal to a broad range of fleet customers, AutoForecast Solutions analyst Conrad Layson said. “Fleet managers can tailor their vehicles directly from Mercedes, saving upfitting costs,” Layson said.
The rear-wheel-drive van uses a front section with high-voltage components common to all model variants, regardless of their wheelbase and battery size.
The battery pack in the vehicle’s underbody between the axles gives the van a low center of gravity that improves driving performance and safety.
Mercedes uses lower-cost lithium iron phosphate cells in the new eSprinter. LFP batteries, which contain no cobalt or nickel, are about 30 percent less expensive than nickel manganese cobalt, according to BloombergNEF.
The rear module houses the compact electric motor and electrically driven rear axle. The roughly 286-pound permanent magnet synchronous motor is available in 100-kilowatt and 150-kilowatt horsepower versions, delivering about 295 pound-feet of torque.
The eSprinter is capable of fast charging from 10 to 80 percent in about 42 minutes, Mercedes said.
“The triad of efficiency, range and load capacity with simultaneous TCO (total cost of ownership) optimization makes the new eSprinter the most versatile Mercedes-Benz eVan ever,” Mercedes-Benz Vans’ boss Mathias Geisen said in a statement.