Mercedes-Benz has revealed its new all-electric VLE.
It will be the first vehicle to be built on the brand's newly developed modular, flexible and scalable Van Architecture. This platform will be the underpinnings to all of the brand's commercial electric vehicles.
The new VLE 300 electric houses a 115kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery with 800-volt technology. This translates to a claimed range of up to 700km and a 300kW DC charging speed. Mercedes-Benz quotes a combined energy consumption of 20.4-18.6kWh/100 km.
The new VLE comes with Airmatic air suspension with 40mm of level control and seven-degree rear-axle steering, offering a small curb-to-curb turning circle of just 10.9-metres.
An optional feature for the new VLE is the brand's MB.Drive Assist, which adds semi-autonomous steering on motorways and a lane change assist.
There are three rows of seating to accommodate up to eight people, depending on configuration. With all seats in use or in place, cargo space is 795-litres rising to a possible 4,078 litres with the seats removed. The VLE also has 2.5-tonne towing capacity.
Hidden in the headliner above the front seats is a retractable, 31.3-inch panoramic screen with 8K resolution, split-screen function and an eight-megapixel camera.
Three screens behind a large glass surface: a 10.25-inch driver display, a 14-inch central display, and a 14-inch screen for the front passenger.
Over-the-air updates keep the VLE up-to-date, adding new features without the customer ever having to visit a dealer.
The new Mercedes-Benz VLE will go on sale later this year.
