Next-gen Mercedes EQV to use the VAN.EA platform [Update]

Update: ‘Design,’ ‘VAN.EA platform,’ ‘Specifications,’ and ‘Release Date’ sections updated.

The Mercedes EQV, the first fully-electric premium MPV and the first EQ model from Mercedes-Benz Vans, is a conversion of the Mercedes V-Class W447 that debuted in 2014. The next-gen Mercedes EQV, which is about three years away, will ride on a new dedicated EV platform called VAN.EA.

Design

Engineered as an EV from the outset, the next-gen Mercedes EQV would feature a more aerodynamic exterior aimed at enhancing energy efficiency and extending driving range. The pictures above are teasers of the next-gen Mercedes EQV and indicate the same. Notably, these pictures show more inclined A-pillars, a reduced hood length, shorter overhangs, and a sharply sloping roofline. Furthermore, it is expected that the vehicle’s height will be lowered, contributing to its overall sleek appearance.

The first teaser shows the next-gen Mercedes EQV Camper Van featuring a pop-up roof. The redesigned model should have a roof bed, a bed unit for the rear compartment, a kitchen module for the luggage compartment, fold-out seats, darkened rear windows, swiveling driver and front passenger seats, ambient lighting, and much more.

VAN.EA-P platform

At the Mercedes-Benz Strategy Update: electric drive event on 22 July 2021, Mercedes-Benz Group (formerly Daimler) announced that it’s changing its EV strategy from electric-first to electric-only, which would speed up its transition to EVs. The company plans to go 100% electric by 2030, and every vehicle in its line-up will be available with a pure electric choice by 2025.

Mercedes-Benz Group announced three new bespoke EV platforms at the event, one of which will underpin electric vans – VAN.EA. The Mercedes EQV and its various derivatives will switch to VAN.EA when it enters the second generation, and eventually, all offerings from the Vans division would go this route, such as the Citan, Sprinter, and Vito.

There are two versions planned: VAN.EA-P and VAN.EA-C. VAN.EA-P is for mid-size luxury private vans which serve as VIP shuttles for super-rich people and high-end business executives. VAN.EA-C is for mid-size and large premium commercial vans. Thus, it has wider applications, from courier, express and parcel delivery (CEP) vehicles to grocery vans or ambulances and from municipal vans or flatbeds to lifting platforms or RVs. SAE Level 2 autonomous driving will be available on models based on both platform versions right from launch.

Mercedes-Benz Vans has confirmed that by default, VAN.EA platform-based models will have a FWD drivetrain layout. The company says there’ll be three modules of the platform.

The front module will comprise the electric powertrain and the front axle, and it’ll be the same in all the models, irrespective of the version of the platform underpinning them. The center module will vary the length of the vehicle, and it will be the place where a standardized battery case housing different-capacity batteries will be located. The rear module will have two versions, one with an electric motor (for the AWD variants of the EV) and one without (for the FWD variants of the EV).

Specifications

Along with the new platform, which will likely enable more efficient and space-saving packaging of the components, the Mercedes EQV should adopt high-end specs when it moves to its second generation. It may feature next-gen batteries that have increased energy density and operate at 800 volts. New-generation electric motor(s) should also be among the technical changes.

The next-gen Mercedes EQV will likely deliver a WLTP range of well over 500 km (311 miles). We expect the redesigned model to support charging rates of more than 200 kW and take 30 minutes or even lesser time for a 10-80% DC charging session.

Local sourcing of core components could help Mercedes reduce costs and ensure a more stable supply. The company has discussed “insourcing” motors and sourcing raw materials for battery components only from IRMA-certified mines. For lithium, it wants to collaborate with Albemarle Corporation. The German automaker is discussing the localization of battery-grade lithium production in Europe and the U.S. with the American specialty chemicals company.

Production

In an announcement on December 12, 2022, Mercedes-Benz Vans announced that the Mercedes-Benz plant in Vitoria, Spain, will manufacture VAN.EA-based mid-size pure-electric vans from the middle of the decade. The announcement all but confirms that the production of the next-gen Mercedes EQV will take place at the Spanish factory. The second-largest van plant of the three-pointed star is the lead production center for mid-size vans and currently makes the EQV.

Release Date

Our estimation is that the next-gen Mercedes EQV will arrive in 2026. Unlike the outgoing model, it will likely be available in the U.S.

Both in the U.S. and China, Mercedes‑Benz Vans for the first time aims to offer VAN.EA-based private vans in an unparalleled luxury positioning to more strongly cater to the expectations of its sophisticated customers. In the U.S., Mercedes‑Benz Vans will offer for the first-time ever a privately positioned midsize luxury van.

Mercedes-Benz Vans press announcement on May 16, 2023

TopElectricSUV says

The next-gen Mercedes EQV will likely be a significantly more efficient, more spacious, and practical electric mid-size van, thanks to the new VAN.EA platform underpinning it. Lower energy consumption and improved range may allow towing, which is (officially) not possible in the current model, and pave way for new versions, including a factory-built camper.

Next-gen Mercedes EQV FAQs

Featured image: Mercedes-Benz (Roadshow Presentation FY 2022 Mercedes-Benz Group AG)