Mercedes-Benz eSprinter prototype drives 295 miles on one charge
Mercedes-Benz is preparing to release an improved version of the electric eSprinter, and this time the van will be sold in the United States. The model hasn’t been fully unveiled yet, but a pre-production prototype recently completed a 295-mile trip on a single charge in Germany.
The test route started at the Mercedes-Benz museum in Stuttgart, Germany, and took the eSprinter to the Munich airport and back via a mountainous region known as the Swabian Jura. The company notes the trip took place on public roads and in real-world conditions; this wasn’t a simulation held on a test track. When all was said and done, the van completed the 295-mile trip with about 12 miles of range left.
Mercedes hasn’t published technical specifications, but it pointed out that the long-wheelbase, high-roof eSprinter prototype (pictured) logged an average electricity consumption of 21.9 kilowatt-hours per 62 miles, or 2.8 miles per kWh. It also noted that the van was fitted with the biggest of the three battery packs that will be available at launch, and this is the unit that will be installed in eSprinter models built for the American market.
While a 295-mile range is hardly impressive in a segment dominated by long-range diesel-powered models, it’s a good figure for an EV and a big improvement over the current-generation eSprinter sold only in Europe, which can drive for around 93 miles on a charge. However, one item not mentioned in the announcement is what if anything the van was hauling. We’ve asked, and we’ll update this story if we hear back.
The updated Mercedes-Benz eSprinter will make its official debut in February 2023, and sales will start shortly after. Production is scheduled to begin in Charleston, South Carolina, starting in the second half of 2023, though two German plants will also build the model.
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