Customers place the same demands on battery-electric vans as they do on equivalent vehicles with combustion engines. And right at the top of the list is complete reliability even in the most difficult weather conditions. This is because commercial customers depend on their vans not letting them down – even in ice and snow.

That is why Mercedes-Benz Vans tests all of its electric vans in extreme climatic conditions such as on snowy and icy roadways, in cutting winds and at temperatures up to minus 30 degrees. These are real endurance tests both for the vehicle and the team of developers.

At the challenging testing grounds at Sweden’s Arjeplog, close to the Arctic Circle, vehicles undergo a variety of tests in which the effects of extreme cold on handling, ergonomics, thermal management and cabin comfort are examined. The low-temperature resistance of drive components, heating systems, software and interfaces are tested in specifically built cold chambers, where the vehicles are cooled down before the test drives. Also the charging behaviour and charging management are examined and optimised precisely.

After only half of several weeks of planned tests it became clear that the next generation eSprinter defies both ice and snow, extreme temperatures and can cope with the most difficult test cycles.

Passed the cold test: winter endurance tests for the next generation eSprinter

The next generation eSprinter

What is required of the next generation eSprinter was defined in close co-operation with customers, e.g. from the CEP sector (courier, express and parcel services) and bodybuilders.

With its three battery versions and numerous body variants – from the panel van to the chassis for box bodies, the next generation eSprinter will not only open up new customer segments, but new markets such as the U.S. and Canada, for example. In comparison with the current eSprinter, the range will be more than double depending on the configuration.

Production of the next generation eSprinter is to start successively, beginning in the second half of 2023 in Charleston (South Carolina, USA) and then in Germany’s Duesseldorf and Ludwigsfelde. A central guiding principle at Mercedes-Benz is sustainability, and thus the next generation eSprinter will be produced CO₂-neutrally.

Mercedes‑Benz has invested around 350 million euros in the next generation eSprinter. Approximately 50 million euros has been invested in adapting the production in the three plants.

Passed the cold test: winter endurance tests for the next generation eSprinter

The BEV strategy of Mercedes‑Benz Vans – Transformation towards being “all electric”

Mercedes-Benz Vans is convinced of the ecological and economic advantages of battery-electric vans, has firmly anchored its leadership aspiration for electromobility in its strategy and is systematically electrifying all models. Body manufacturers and customers can already choose from four battery-electric driven vans: the eSprinter, the eVito Panel Van as well as the eVito Tourer and the EQV. Furthermore, the new eCitan, the electric small van for commercial operations and the electric variant of the T-Class, the small van for families and leisure enthusiasts will expand the locally emission-free product portfolio of Mercedes‑Benz Vans.

With the next generation eSprinter, Mercedes‑Benz Vans is continuing to consistently implement its strategy and underscore its leadership aspiration to be the “Lead in Electric Drive”.

And course has been set towards a fully electric future. By the end of the decade the brand with the three-pointed star will be ready to be fully electric – wherever market conditions allow. This means that from 2025 all new vehicle architectures will be exclusively electric. And in line with this, Mercedes-Benz Vans will also develop a new, purely electric vehicle architecture for the third generation of eVans. Its name is VAN.EA and the first vans based on VAN.EA will be launched on the market from the mid-2020s.

Whether on the construction site, for shuttle operations or as the base vehicle for motorhomes: with the OM654 the Sprinter promises even more comfort from autumn 2021 in all its versions, both on and off the road – from the Chassis Cab and Traction Head variants to the Panel Van and the Tourer, with rear-wheel, front-wheel or all-wheel drive. And they will all enjoy lower fuel consumption, too.

Attractive drive upgrade for the successful Van: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with the four-cylinder diesel generation of the OM 654 engine family is available

The OM 654 engine generation, which conforms to the Euro VI-E and Euro 6d emissions norms, offers further improved noise and vibration characteristics. This means it is pleasantly quiet inside the Sprinter and disruptive vibrations have been reduced. The combination of an aluminium housing with steel pistons, the stepped recess combustion process and the NANOSLIDE® cylinder wall coating for reduced in-engine friction, together with the dynamic multi-way exhaust gas recirculation and the in-engine exhaust gas aftertreatment, facilitate lower consumption as well as low emissions. Due to its near-engine position, the exhaust gas aftertreatment works with little heat loss and in optimum conditions.

The OM654 engine is available in four output categories for the Sprinter, depending on the drive and body variant selected: 84 kW (114 hp), 110 kW (150 hp), 125 kW (170 hp) and 140 kW (190 hp).

As a further innovation, Mercedes-Benz has combined the modern 2.0-litre engine with the 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission for the rear-wheel drive Sprinter too. The 6-speed manual transmission remains unchanged in the range.

Further details on the OM654 in the Sprinter will be available in the autumn for the sales launch.

Locally emission-free: the eSprinter

Since 2020 the Sprinter has also been available alternatively with a battery-electric drive. With the eSprinter, the entire range of use in urban logistics can be covered locally emission-free. The eCharging Planner advisory tool, for example, is part of the eVan ecosystem from Mercedes-Benz Vans and can answer your questions on aspects that need to be considered for fleets converting to electric drive.

The next generation of the eSprinter is already being developed too: this modular concept consists of a front module for the high-voltage components, a module in the underbody for the high-voltage battery and a rear module with an electrically driven rear axle. With this, the next-generation eSprinter – which will be produced from the second half of 2023 – will offer considerably greater freedom in the development and design of various bodies. Also, the next generation of the eSprinter will be produced CO2-neutrally – a further step towards implementing “Ambition2039”, the sustainable corporate strategy of Mercedes-Benz. Further information and technical data on the eSprinter can be found on our Mercedes me media online platform at media.mercedes-benz.com and on our Daimler Global Media site at media.daimler.com.

Forbes writer, Jason Fogelson may never need a van like the 2020 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500XD Crew Van, but during his weeklong test-drive, he found myself thinking about why he should own a Sprinter and listed his top five reasons why to buy one.  You can also view his past test-drives here.

1.     You can load most anything in the back, and still carry passengers. I drove a Sprinter with a 144-inch wheelbase, and it can hold 261.3 cubic feet of cargo. I’m six feet two inches tall, and I can comfortably stand in the back. The back doors open a full 180 degrees, and the door opening is over 72 inches tall and 60 inches wide. The floor is over 70 inches wide at its broadest points. I imagined stuffing a room full of furniture in the back, or a pair of motorcycles, or a pile of mattresses – all behind the removable second row bench seat.

2.     It’s easy to drive, and even fun. My test car came with a 3.0-liter V6 turbo-diesel engine (188 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque) with a seven-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. While those figures may seem modest, the Sprinter is sprightly off the line, and has no problem keeping up with traffic. The high seating position provides a great view of the road ahead, and there’s little chance that anyone’s going to miss seeing a Sprinter in traffic.

3.     The Crew Van is a blank slate, perfect for upfitting. If you’ve got an idea for how to use a van, it’s likely that the Mercedes-Benz parts and accessories team has an assortment of workbenches, shelving and other modular parts designed to work inside the Sprinter to turn it into a mobile workshop, store or even kitchen.

4.     Available 4×4 can turn the Sprinter into a go-anywhere base of operations. A high- and low-range 4×4 transfer case (part of a $7,800 package) can even be fitted on 3500 models like the one I test drove, which came with dual rear wheels. Just image the terrain you could cover.

5.     Maybe the best (and worst) reason of all to buy a Sprinter: It just looks cool. There’s something about the way the 4×4 Sprinter sits that just says “I’m ready for anything.” And that’s cool, and that inspires my fantasies about all the great things I could accomplish, if only I owned a Sprinter.

The Sprinter comes in multiple configurations, starting at $33,790 for a Cargo Van. If you’re really ambitious, you could start with a Cab Chassis (starting at $39,790), and go the full custom route to create the exact vehicle you want. For me, the 3500XD Crew Van that I test drove hit the sweet spot, usable for up to five occupants, but still with enough configurable open space in the rear to be really useful. With an as-tested price of $71,496, the 2020 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500XD Crew Van will not an impulse buy for me – but it is a thoroughly capable, attractive and inspirational vehicle. If it fits your needs, I’d recommend checking it out.

Nearly 5,000 miles on bicycles from the North Cape in Norway, through Scotland, England and France, all the way to Gibraltar. The reason for the expedition, children in need. Starting on August 1, the initiators and key players of the “Every Mile Counts” charity campaign, Andreas Isler and Marcus Niessl, rise to the challenge. The amateur athletes from Switzerland are supported by the most versatile vehicle, a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and the best endurance road bike that can handle the roughest roads in the world, Specialized S-Works Roubaix and the fastest road bike in the world, the S-Works Tarmac. The aim is to raise 75,000 Swiss franks for the Pro Juventute Foundation and ROKJ, the youth organisation of the Rotary Clubs. The money will benefit the integration of economically and socially disadvantaged children.

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 319 CDI 4×4 specifically selected and outfitted for charity campaign

Mercedes-Benz Switzerland AG and Mercedes-Benz Automobil AG Merbag in Schlieren support the “Every Mile Counts” charity campaign with a support vehicle, a Sprinter 319 CDI 4×4. The van was selected in light of the challenges of the expedition and converted together with outfitter specialists.

Marcus Niessl says: “The intensive preparations took about two and a half years. Fitness is one thing. The organisation, putting together the right equipment and crew and finding suitable partners is another.”

Apart from a V6-engine that is rated at 190 hp and produces a torque of 440 Nm, the Sprinter is equipped with on-demand all-wheel drive and off-road tyres to master even difficult road conditions on the 8000 km trip. Safety is ensured by Crosswind Assist, Lane Keeping Assist and Blind Spot Assist, among other things.

Comfort for the team and crew in the interior is provided by a wash basin, refrigerator, gas stove, TV and high-performance music system, on the outside by hook-ups for gas, power, air pressure and a shower. In addition, there are technically sophisticated features such as digital controls for programming lights, pumps and electricity.

This is already the second year for the charity campaign.

More information about the “Every Mile Counts” charity campaign is available online at: www.jedemeilezaehlt.ch/en

Bikers ride their Specialized S-Works nearly 5,000 miles across Europe for disadvantaged children. Part of the tour a, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter as support vehicle

Bikers ride their Specialized S-Works nearly 5,000 miles across Europe for disadvantaged children.

Bikers ride their Specialized S-Works nearly 5,000 miles across Europe for disadvantaged children.

Bikers ride their Specialized S-Works nearly 5,000 miles across Europe for disadvantaged children.

Bikers ride their Specialized S-Works nearly 5,000 miles across Europe for disadvantaged children.

Bikers ride their Specialized S-Works nearly 5,000 miles across Europe for disadvantaged children.

Bikers ride their Specialized S-Works nearly 5,000 miles across Europe for disadvantaged children. Part of the tour a, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter as support vehicle

Bikers ride their Specialized S-Works nearly 5,000 miles across Europe for disadvantaged children. Part of the tour a, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter as support vehicle

Bikers ride their Specialized S-Works nearly 5,000 miles across Europe for disadvantaged children. Part of the tour a, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter as support vehicle

Bikers ride their Specialized S-Works nearly 5,000 miles across Europe for disadvantaged children. Part of the tour a, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter as support vehicle

Bikers ride their Specialized S-Works nearly 5,000 miles across Europe for disadvantaged children. Part of the tour a, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter as support vehicle

Bikers ride their Specialized S-Works nearly 5,000 miles across Europe for disadvantaged children. Part of the tour a, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter as support vehicle

Bikers ride their Specialized S-Works nearly 5,000 miles across Europe for disadvantaged children. Part of the tour a, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter as support vehicle