Mercedes-Benz to offer electric vans and people movers in Australia from 2022

German carmaker Mercedes-Benz is set to launch three new electric vans in Australia next year, with another one to follow in 2024.

Mercedes-Benz will start offering the mid-sized eVito panel van, eVito Tourer and EQV from late 2022 while the eSprinter is anticipated to land in Australia around 2024 when the next-generation model enters the market.

The automaker is expected to continue offering internal-combustion vehicles alongside the new battery-powered versions; however, they are preparing to move to an electric-only offering by 2030, “when customer and market demand determines it”.

Technical information for the commercial eVito panel van is yet to be released, however, the car manufacturer has offered limited preliminary details of what we can expect from the two vehicles.

The nine-seater eVito Tourer has been designed for usage as a taxi or hotel shuttle bus and offers a pure electric driving range of approximately 360 kilometres from a single charge. This is thanks in part to the 90kWh lithium-ion battery pack with a 150kW/362Nm electric motor that powers the front wheels.

Mercedes-Benz’s luxurious EQV is the electric version of the V-Class people mover which seats up to eight people. It has the same powertrain as the eVito Tourer; however, the driving range dips to around 355km (WLTP) due to its increase in weight largely attributed to the inclusion of upgraded extras including carpet, leather upholstery and additional features.

“We are confident that the electric drive will gain more prevalence here over the coming years,” said Mercedes-Benz Vans managing director Diane Tarr.

“As it does, we will be ready with a strong customer-centric electric product portfolio, which offers the potential to assist customers with lowering their operating costs and reducing their environmental impact”.

For either the eVito Tourer and EQV, charging from zero to 100 per cent using an 11kW Wallbox takes roughly 10 hours, while a top-up charge from 10 to 80 per cent using a 110kW fast-charger can be achieved in around 45 minutes.

Complete pricing and specifications for all three electric Mercedes-Benz vans will be released closer to the anticipated launch during the second half of 2022.