Mercedes-Benz eSprinter electric van will start at $71,000

Mercedes-Benz announced pricing for its upcoming eSprinter electric van, which is available to be ordered starting today from US dealers.

The US will get the 170-inch-long wheelbase cargo version of the eSprinter, with a high-roof configuration carrying a 113kWh battery. That version will start at $71,886, making it the more premium entry in the budding e-van market that also includes Ford’s E-Transit and the Volkswagen ID Buzz. The eSprinter will have a WLTP range of up to 400km (around 249 miles) — but EPA estimates are likely to be less than that. 

The van is now in production at Mercedes’ Charleston, South Carolina, plant, as well as at the company’s German factories in Ludwigsfelde and Düsseldorf. The automaker has said it would only sell electric vehicles after 2030.

Like the Ford E-Transit and BrightDrop Zevo, the Mercedes eSprinter is tailored for delivery or other commercial operations. But unlike those vans, the eSprinter could also be repurposed for noncommercial uses — like for anyone interested in embracing a nomadic lifestyle as popularized by influencers using the #vanlife hashtag.

(The Verge’s Thomas Ricker took an ID Buzz for a weeklong camping trip recently and found a lot to like and a little left to be desired.)

Range is really the name of the game for the eSprinter. In addition to boasting best-in-class range figures, Mercedes is keen to show off the vehicle’s efficiency through its drive and recuperation modes, three of the former and five for the latter.

A special advantage is the automatic function (D Auto) in which the car automatically defines the energy recovery rate based on the traffic situation. A radar sensor automatically adjusts the recuperation strength to ensure optimized recuperation. The ECO Assist in the dashboard shows the driver when to lift his foot off the pedal and then the vehicle can choose automatically the right strength of recuperation. The three drive programs (eco, comfort and max range) can further assist the driver to drive particularly efficient or with maximum comfort. 

In fact, Mercedes is all about EV efficiency. The company’s Vision EQXX purports to be the most efficient EV ever made, able to travel 1,000km (621 miles) on a single charge. The average consumption on a recent record-breaking drive was 8.7kWh per 100km (7.1kWh per 62 miles) — which is nearly triple what most EVs on the road today get.