Genuinely one in every of 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 industrial van we get within the U.S., and they’re critically luxurious. Some variations have a rear-facing second row of seats that makes conversing with your folks straightforward whereas others have fancy captain’s chairs, and the V-Class has all the luxurious options you’d anticipate from a Benz. They’re method higher to trip in than one thing like an Escalade or a typical luxurious sedan, particularly when you’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 subsequent V-Class will use Mercedes’ new VAN.EA platform, a modular electrical structure that may underpin each new Mercedes van, each industrial and passenger fashions. The V-Class would be the first one to debut in 2026, although its Metris (or Vito in Europe) sibling will doubtless be revealed alongside it or comply with quickly after. Because the VAN.EA platform is “versatile and scalable,” it’ll be used for the smaller Citan and T-Class and the massive and vastly in style Sprinter fashions, too. Each front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive might be provided.
Mercedes launched a handful of images of a camouflaged V-Class prototype, and it seems like, effectively, a van, albeit a sleeker and more energizing one. The window glazing seems 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 essentially the most vary. We will see that the V-Class may have an enormous grille like the not too long ago 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 “permit for a transparent distinction between privately positioned vans within the luxurious section and industrial vans inside the premium section,” in accordance with Mercedes, with the previous class together with “VIP shuttles to luxurious and spacious limousines tailor-made for patrons with the best calls for.” Not solely will there nonetheless be an expensive V-Class mannequin that’s completely suited to be a high-end taxi, resort shuttle or household automobile, however Mercedes will lastly be making a Maybach mannequin from the manufacturing facility.
Aftermarket fake Maybach conversions for Metrises and V-Lessons have changing into more and more in style lately, particularly within the U.S., and Mercedes is seeking to money in on that demand. Hell, Kim Kardashian owns one! Earlier this yr 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 attainable, however essentially the most luxurious automobile, interval. The van form will permit designers and engineers to actually maximize the quantity of lounge area, much more so than what you get in a Maybach S-Class or GLS. Such ultra-luxury vans have turn out to be mega in style in China, the place some even have partitions with big TV screens and lodging that rival one of the best non-public 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 inside the automobile,” and subsequent up might be winter testing in Sweden. Mercedes hasn’t stated precisely when the V-Class will debut, solely that it will likely be popping out in 2026, so a reveal might occur sooner or later subsequent yr.
