- Vehicle Tech
- Hybrid & Electric Vehicles
Massive range and an equally sizable interior screen ahoy!
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Mercedes-Benz)
- Copy link
- X
- Threads
Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter- Mercedes-Benz says upcoming VLE will offer a "class-leading" EV range
- Huge battery equates to an impressive 435-mile range on a single charge
- Modular interior can seat up to eight people
Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the vehicle that will replace its current EQV model and push its range of stylish, premium V-Class vans to the next level, with a strong choice of electric powertrains promised from launch.
The VLE will be the first model to ride on the German marque’s box fresh VAN.EA platform, which will go on to form the basis of a number of electric vans and commercial vehicles. It also promises an impressive 268bhp and a range of more than 435 miles in the debut VLE 300.
This luxurious people-mover will feature a frankly enormous 115kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery, while an 800V electrical architecture will allow for ultra-fast charging speeds, with Mercedes suggesting that 199 miles of range can be added in just 15 minutes.
Article continues below You may like-
I’ve driven Kia’s debut electric van and it’s one of the most convincing electric people-movers out there
-
I review EVs for a living – here are the top 7 electric cars I drove in 2025
-
Come on, China – the Range Rover clones have to stop
Bi-directional charging will allow users to run or charge other electrical items from the van’s battery pack, as well as opening up the door to Vehicle-to-Grid compatibility.
Image 1 of 6
(Image credit: Mercedes-Benz)
(Image credit: Mercedes-Benz)
(Image credit: Mercedes-Benz)
(Image credit: Mercedes-Benz)(Image credit: Mercedes-Benz)
(Image credit: Mercedes-Benz)A more powerful, all-wheel-drive version, badged VLE 400, is due to arrive later in the year that will deliver 409bhp and a much faster 0-62mph sprint time of just 6.5 seconds, although there is currently no word on how that will affect max driving range.
The sleek, handsome van has been deliberately designed to be as streamlined and efficient as possible, borrowing learnings from the recent CLA to improve its drag-coefficient factor and optimize the way it uses energy from the battery packs to reduce the need for charging stops.
Analysis: Posh and practical? Sign me up
Not only is the upcoming a VLE a looker, it also manages to be both practical and extremely high-end on the inside.
Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inboxContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.It can be configured to house between five and eight passengers, with rear seats that slide on rails and can be removed completely to free up an impressive 4,078-liters of load space, according to Autocar.
What’s more, these seats feature built-in rollers, so they can easily be stored and moved around a garage when not in use. As someone that has to manually lug seats in and out of my aging Volkswagen Transporter to make room for broken motorcycles, this sounds like a godsend.
Customers wanting a more luxurious experience can specify electronically-adjustable seats, which slide and move at the touch of a button.
What to read next-
Watch out, Tesla – Rivian's new Model Y rival is getting glowing reviews
-
Toyota says it's going all-in on battery electric cars with four new models
-
The best auto tech you probably missed from CES 2026
What’s more, there’s an optional 31.3‑inch, panoramic 8K display that uses split-screen functionality so rear occupants can watch separate shows or movies.
Mercedes says it also offers an eight-megapixel front-facing camera for joining video conferences, which sounds far less enjoyable.
The digitization continues up front, as the marque’s enormous MBUX Superscreen will also come as an option, which effectively sees a 26cm (10.25‑inch) driver display, a 35.6cm (14‑inch) central display, and a 35.6cm(14‑inch) screen for the front passenger take up the entirety of the dashboard.
There is currently no word on pricing, but seeing as the VLE looks to represent the final word in van-like luxury, it isn’t going to be cheap.
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!
And of course, you can also follow TechRadar on YouTube and TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too.
Leon PoultneyEVs correspondentLeon has been navigating a world where automotive and tech collide for almost 20 years, reporting on everything from in-car entertainment to robotised manufacturing plants. Currently, EVs are the focus of his attentions, but give it a few years and it will be electric vertical take-off and landing craft. Outside of work hours, he can be found tinkering with distinctly analogue motorcycles, because electric motors are no replacement for an old Honda inline four.
View MoreYou must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
Logout Read more
I’ve driven Kia’s debut electric van and it’s one of the most convincing electric people-movers out there
I review EVs for a living – here are the top 7 electric cars I drove in 2025
Come on, China – the Range Rover clones have to stop
Watch out, Tesla – Rivian's new Model Y rival is getting glowing reviews
Toyota says it's going all-in on battery electric cars with four new models
The best auto tech you probably missed from CES 2026
Latest in Hybrid & Electric Vehicles
Toyota says it's going all-in on battery electric cars with four new models
I’ve driven the Porsche Macan GTS and it's the most engaging Macan yet
Come on, China – the Range Rover clones have to stop
The MG S5 is the SUV follow-up to one of the best EVs on the road – but is it anywhere near as charming?
Watch out, Tesla – Rivian's new Model Y rival is getting glowing reviews
Sorry, but Jony Ive is wrong about touchscreens in cars — here's why
Latest in News
Quordle hints and answers for Thursday, March 12 (game #1508)
NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, March 12 (game #739)
NYT Connections hints and answers for Thursday, March 12 (game #1005)
How to watch Sunny Nights on TVNZ+ (it's *FREE*)
Why does the MacBook Air M5 keyboard look different? Blame your iPhone
CD Projekt Red and Nvidia are teaming up to transform the future of PC gaming
LATEST ARTICLES- 1Why does the MacBook Air M5 keyboard look different? Blame your iPhone
- 2‘Anthropic’s Claude models are no longer available’: US State Department ditches Claude on the orders of Trump – while Senate approves Gemini, ChatGPT, and CoPilot for use
- 3Camcorders are cool again, and this unlikely brand has just launched a cheap 4K model — but read this before putting up your cash
- 4I tried Australia's favorite VPN for 24 hours — and it's only a few improvements away from being a superb free VPN
- 5Quordle hints and answers for Thursday, March 12 (game #1508)