Genuinely one among my favourite issues about touring to Europe is attending to trip in Mercedes-Benz V-Class vans. The V-Class is the passenger model of the Metris business van we get within the U.S., and they’re severely luxurious. Some variations have a rear-facing second row of seats that makes conversing with your mates simple whereas others have fancy captain’s chairs, and the V-Class has all the posh options you’d anticipate from a Benz. They’re approach higher to trip in than one thing like an Escalade or a typical luxurious sedan, particularly if you happen to’re with a gaggle of individuals. Fortunately, the U.S. will lastly get the V-Class with the absolutely electrical next-generation mannequin, which Mercedes is now teasing for the primary time.
The following V-Class will use Mercedes’ new VAN.EA platform, a modular electrical structure that can underpin each new Mercedes van, each business and passenger fashions. The V-Class would be the first one to debut in 2026, although its Metris (or Vito in Europe) sibling will seemingly be revealed alongside it or observe quickly after. Because the VAN.EA platform is “versatile and scalable,” it’ll be used for the smaller Citan and T-Class and the big and vastly standard Sprinter fashions, too. Each front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive will likely be provided.
Mercedes launched a handful of pictures of a camouflaged V-Class prototype, and it appears like, nicely, a van, albeit a sleeker and more energizing one. The window glazing appears extra flush than the present V-Class, and it has different options like an built-in spoiler, pop-out door handles and easy underbody to eke out probably the most vary. We will see that the V-Class can have a large grille like the just lately facelifted V-Class and EQV, and hopefully it’ll be provided with Mercedes’ standing star hood decoration like these fashions too.
The VAN.EA platform will “enable for a transparent distinction between privately positioned vans within the luxurious section and business vans throughout the premium section,” in line with Mercedes, with the previous class together with “VIP shuttles to luxurious and spacious limousines tailor-made for patrons with the very best calls for.” Not solely will there nonetheless be an expensive V-Class mannequin that’s completely suited to be a high-end taxi, lodge shuttle or household car, however Mercedes will lastly be making a Maybach mannequin from the manufacturing facility.
Aftermarket fake Maybach conversions for Metrises and V-Lessons have turning into more and more standard in recent times, particularly within the U.S., and Mercedes is seeking to money in on that demand. Hell, Kim Kardashian owns one! Earlier this 12 months on the eSprinter drive occasion I chatted with an exec from Benz’s vans division who stated the objective isn’t to take advantage of luxurious van doable, however probably the most luxurious car, interval. The van form will enable designers and engineers to essentially maximize the quantity of lounge house, much more so than what you get in a Maybach S-Class or GLS. Such ultra-luxury vans have grow to be mega standard in China, the place some even have partitions with big TV screens and lodging that rival the perfect personal jets.
Earlier this summer season Mercedes took a specifically constructed prototype from Stuttgart to the North Cape to check the VAN.EA’s battery, chassis and powertrain. Present street testing is specializing in “the interplay of all parts throughout the car,” and subsequent up will likely be winter testing in Sweden. Mercedes hasn’t stated precisely when the V-Class will debut, solely that it is going to be popping out in 2026, so a reveal might occur sooner or later subsequent 12 months.
