Since the year 2019, this Mercedes-Benz eSprinter car has been the first Sprinter to be equipped with the electric-battery drive system after following the footsteps of the eVito. Though much of the van will contain similar characteristics, there will still be new features like the Panel Van with a high roof and a permissible gross weight of 3500 kg and it also possesses a maximum load of 10.5 cubic meters.
This new Mercedes-Benz eSprinter van comes with driver’s customization which allows people to have alternate use in the urban area. The eSprinter can be used with great adjustability and integrated problem-free into daily operations whether equipped as a spacious delivery van or as a mobile workshop.
Design of Mercedes-Benz eSprinter
Since the eSprinter is the electric version of the Sprinter, the design is pretty much the same. Moreover, this van can be customized according to the needs of the van owner. The Mercedes-Benz eSprinter van can be used as a camper van, ambulance, and many other forms.
The van is available for the first time in a tractor head variant and all other components are available in front of the B-pillar. Installed individually are the frame and rear axle and are connected to the tractor head. In this electric version, one of the most distinctive features is the location of the charging port which is disguised by the company’s badge on the front.
The exterior of Mercedes-Benz eSprinter
Starting from the front the most unique thing about this van is the company’s badge which opens to reveal the charging port for this van. There are two charging options which are AC and DC. The grilles are broadly designed and below is a step available to allow the windscreen to be cleaned. The windscreen is quite wide and there is an antenna on the top of the windscreen. The front headlights placed on either side of the grille are decently designed.
Moving on to the side profile there is an “electric” badge found below the A-pillar. The doors are pretty much the same and the winged side mirrors are the same as its combustion engine version. The massive sliding doors on the left of the van reveal the spacious cargo space of this van. The doors slide back and there is also the climb handle which assists passengers to climb into the cargo space. The roof of the van is 70mm higher than the regular sprinter. This is because the battery pack at the bottom of the van and to make sure the electric version has the same cargo space as the combustion engine version the roof was elevated. There are also three reflectors on either side of the van.
At the rear, there isn’t much of a difference between the electric and its regular version. The only visible difference that can be found in the ‘e-Sprinter’ is written at the back with e blue in color. The rear also has a high-level brake light located on top of the rear doors. The handle can also be seen only on the right door and reveals the inside of the cargo space. There is also a step that helps in entering the back of the van.
An added advantage Mercedes-Benz provides is that on its website customization allows the customers to design their car.
Interior of Mercedes-Benz eSprinter
Almost everything in this Mercedes-Benz eSprinter van is electrical. The windows are electric as well as the winged side mirrors. It also comes with a heated driver’s seat which always helps with conserving battery. Hence only the seat is heated rather than the whole battery. The doors have a central locking mechanism and the seats are adjustable height-wise and also help in thigh support. Next to the driver’s seat is the manual hand brake.
The light switchgear is very similar to the Mercedes EQA. It helps control the switching on and off and the level of lighting of the headlight, taillight, and fog light. The steering wheel is simply designed with not much detailing. The paddles behind the steering wheel are for the 4 stages of the regenerating of the brake. Also behind the steering wheel, there is the gear on the right side (R, P, N, and D). The indicator and wiper switch is on the left of the steering wheel. In the cluster behind the wheel, there is the speedometer and a meter that shows the charge left in the vehicle.
On the left of the steering wheel, there is the ignition button along with the drive modes. There is also a lot of space in the front of the console to store small l packages if the van is used for deliveries and has a total of 4 cupholders. The infotainment area has a radio, 2 vents, and a USB port to charge phones. There are more cup holders below the infotainment area. The temperature regulator is located right above the cupholders.
It has got an armrest, wide sun visors, and a central unit on the ceiling which contains the light switch, SOS button, and a sunglass holder. Seats in the front are about 3 in total.
Battery and performance of Mercedes-Benz eSprinter
The Mercedes-Benz eSprinter van comes with Combined Charging System (CCS) and it benefits it by not being fussy when it comes to charging stations and wall boxes. There are two charging modes and starting from the AC which charges at 7.2kW takes 6hours to fully charge. The DC one charges at 20kW and can charge within 30 minutes. The van can travel about 150km. The battery can also be charged via the domestic grid if there is no wall box or charging station available.
Conclusion
Due to its self-customizing feature, this Mercedes-Benz eSprinter van can be of great assistance to the customers. Despite having a small battery, the battery pack is still very useful and fulfills the needs of the rider.
