Mercedes-Benz will add a luxurious mid-size electrical van to its U.S. lineup, the automaker mentioned on Tuesday.

Mercedes’ native lineup presently has two vans within the type of the mid-size Metris and full-size Sprinter, although each are stripped-out business choices. The luxurious van will probably be geared toward non-public consumers, reminiscent of huge households, tenting followers, and probably even RV consumers.

The van will probably be primarily based on a brand new devoted EV platform being developed to underpin all future vans at Mercedes. Dubbed Van.EA, the platform is scheduled to spawn its first mannequin in 2026. Timing for any Van.EA merchandise within the U.S., together with the posh van, hasn’t been introduced.

The Van.EA platform encompasses a three-module design that enables it to be simply tailored to varied automobile sizes. A entrance module homes high-voltage energy management {hardware} and an electrical motor, and is frequent to all autos primarily based on the platform. A middle module out there in numerous lengths and becoming varied battery configurations determines the scale of the autos primarily based on the platform. A rear module comprises the rear axle, both with a motor for all-wheel drive or with out for front-wheel drive.

Subsequent-generation Mercedes-Benz eSprinter

An early model of this idea is discovered within the platform of the 2024 eSprinter full-size electrical van that begins gross sales within the U.S. within the second half of 2023.

For the posh van, consumers can anticipate related options to what Mercedes gives in its luxurious automobiles and SUVs. This may embody automated self-driving know-how, as much as Degree 3 on the SAE scale of self-driving functionality.

Mercedes has already had some success within the U.S. with van gross sales. The automaker mentioned it doubled its U.S. van market share from 8% in 2018 to 16% in 2022. Mercedes additionally mentioned it goals to have electrical vans account for 20% of its complete van gross sales by 2026 and 50% by 2030.

Earlier than the posh van arrives, Mercedes will replace its present mid-size van line, which incorporates the Metris and a luxurious possibility often known as the V-Class that is offered abroad and contains an EQV electrical variant. The replace of the present mid-size van line is scheduled for this summer time. It is rumored the Metris will probably be dropped from Mercedes’ U.S. lineup following the introduction of the replace.