It seems a full plethora of electric vans are coming our way. Volkswagen is on the verge of releasing the long-awaited ID.Buzz onto our market, while Kia is apparently busy preparing an all-new generation of electric vans under the PV nomenclature. It’s now Mercedes-Benz’s turn to show up with something new in the van segment. It’s called the VAN.EA, a name that, I’m sure, has you wondering if this van has anything to do with the Electronic Arts video game company.
Yet no. That name actually stands for Mercedes-Benz Van Electric Architecture, which, according to the carmaker, will give birth to a wide portfolio of electric vans that will range from family specifications, to exclusive VIP shuttles.
The VAN.EA Platform Will Feature An 800-Volt Charging System
Mercedes sent us a press release revealing the highlights of this platform, as well as some carmaker-prepared spy shots of a rolling prototype driving out there in the wild. Those prototypes, by the way, are fitted with windows, which foreshadows what we could expect from the passenger models in terms of proportions and dimensions. From the looks of it, it seems roughly the same size as the current Metris, with a similar shape and overall design, except for a set of taillights that seem to pop out of the body.
Battery capacity and range have not yet been released, but Mercedes did mention an 800-volt charging architecture, which should allow the VAN.EA to fast charge at more than 250 kW. The onboard charger for level 2 home charging is also set at 20 kW, a high value compared to what’s currently on sale.
Available with either front or all-wheel drive, the VAN.EA lineup is scheduled for some time in 2026. Mercedes promises modular medium to large vans that can be individually tailored according to each purpose.
What Will Happen To The eSprinter?
Ironically, these VAN.EA prototypes are showing up not long after Mercedes released the all-electric eSprinter. Can we expect two different variants of the electric van at Mercedes? Not exactly. Chances are the VAN.EA platform will replace both the Sprinter and the Metris.
Remember, the eSprinter may be built on a revamped EVP architecture (for Electric Versatility Platform), but it’s still essentially a platform dedicated to internal combustion engines (ICE) that was modified for electric vehicle (EV) duty. But since the Sprinter is built in South Carolina, it’s unclear if the VAN.EA lineup will replace it in that plant. If that’s the case, we could have to wait a little longer than the European market due to plant retooling.
TopSpeed’s Take
It only makes sense that Mercedes-Benz – a carmaker devoted to electrification – is transforming its vans into fully electric ones. The VAN.EA platform should allow the carmaker to evolve the Sprinter and Metris nameplates into a whole new generation, while taking on new players in the segment. It’ll be interesting to see what kind of camper conversions will trickle down from this platform, and how they’ll be received by the #vanlife crowd.
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