Parent Daimler wedded to propulsion option but when and where for vans are unclear
Yes, Daimler is looking again at electric Mercedes-Benz vans but, no, plans for rolling them out appear unformed at present, for Australia as for elsewhere.
The response from headquarters in Stuttgart comes after northern hemisphere motoring press quoted Ulf Zillig, the head of project VS30, said to be the designation for the 2018 next-generation Sprinter van development effort, as raising the likelihood.
Despite a push earlier this decade foundering, Daimler believes history will be on its side for Mercedes-Benz Vans as well as its trucks.
“We are of course engaged in alternative drive systems at Mercedes-Benz Vans, including electric drive for our commercial and private vans,” a Daimler spokesperson tells ATN.
“With the Vito E-Cell in 2011, we were the first van manufacturer to launch a fully electric van on the market as a series-produced vehicle.
“However, production of that model was suspended due to poor demand.
“But times are changing; technologies and conditions are developing further.
“We see electric drive as an important and absolutely promising drive system.
“So far, no specific decision has been made on implementing electric drive in our current range of vans.”
US reports quote Mercedes-Benz Vans head Volker Mornhinweg as saying battery electric rather than plug-in hybrid would be the preferred propulsion due to cost considerations.