EHV braved the chilly to learn the way Mercedes-Benz’s are using its new VAN.EA platform to place area between luxurious high-end vans for personal use, and people for business functions
The remark about “one winter of testing” piques my curiosity when speaking to Mercedes-Benz’s engineers in Arjeplog, Sweden. For so long as I’ve spoken to Mercedes-Benz engineers, spending two winters of testing on a single car previous to its manufacturing has been one thing of a ceremony of passage for them. The generally -30 situations right here within the Swedish car testing outpost, the place camouflaged pre-production check automobiles and prototypes just about outnumber these of the circa 2,000 native inhabitants, are excellent for this gruelling testing. Nonetheless, for this testing program – particularly for Mercedes-Benz’s new VAN.EA electrical structure – these engineers gained’t be flying again to check the identical car subsequent 12 months. Whereas they’ll be again to briefly swell Arjeplog’s inhabitants once more, they’ll be testing one thing else.
As a result of it’s an accelerated check program that’s being trialled with the brand new VAN.EA platform, an EV-specific platform that may underpin the alternative for Mercedes-Benz’s V-Class passenger and business Vito choices. It’s doubly fascinating, too, as not solely is that new platform exploring a brand new growth timeline, however it’s additionally bringing components from passenger automotive division in addition to that of economic automobiles.
That shift is a direct results of Mercedes-Benz’s ambition to discover the growth of the tremendous luxurious MPV market, someplace it’s already bought a foothold in with the V-Class. However there’s recognition that nevertheless many V-Class you see in costly postcodes around the globe, its business origins imply it’s unable to say the true luxurious that patrons are more and more demanding, and Mercedes-Benz needs to supply. Mercedes-Benz admits it’s eager to supply an OEM mannequin to take gross sales away from the quite a few conversion firms that take base fashions and create luxurious automobiles, too. Tremendous luxurious raises the thought of the corporate’s Maybach model, and whereas no person’s admitting to that presently, nor are the denials notably vociferous.
What’s simple is the affect of China, each as a possible market, in addition to for offering competitors – notably on this mannequin sphere and, notably, on the pace of BEV mannequin introductions. Europe is at present the strongest market for Mercedes-Benz’s present providing with a 60% share and it needs to retain that, and develop, however the firm additionally sees substantial development alternative in each China, US and Canada for luxurious non-public vans.
Dr Andreas Zygan, Head of Improvement at Mercedes-Benz Vans explains the brand new structure, saying: “We have now constructed a purpose-built BEV platform with VAN.EA, which permits us to fulfill the necessities of a purely electrical car.” Naturally which means the packaging of the EV battery and motors, however right here in a car that may very well be carrying as many as eight folks, security.
Icing out ICE
The necessities for improved NVH over the present mannequin are paramount, too, not least as a result of there’s no masking sound from an inner combustion engine, but additionally to convincingly fulfil that tremendous luxurious ambition on the higher finish of the mannequin spectrum. Key right here is the development, Zygan admitting that there’s much more deal with materials combine, with focused light-weight fabrication combining with high-strength steels, with the battery pack itself including to the car’s stiffness. A van is hard too, as a result of, as Benjamin Kaehler, Chief Engineer Vans, Mercedes-Benz, explains: “It’s a field, and you then lower holes in it for the doorways, the tailgate, which impacts on its stiffness.” Countering that’s the focused use of strengthening supplies all through.
“With this new structure there are particular benefits for us as an OEM, “ explains Kaehler. “Firstly, we will understand a complete vary of privately used vans from sensible household bands to unique high and variants. Secondly, we will design each mid-size and huge bands from gross car weights of three.5 tons to greater than 5 tons. And thirdly, we will provide each electrical automobiles and people with state-of-the-art combustion engines. However, the benefit of our new and structure is that, for the primary time, we will realise a transparent separation between business and privately used automobiles, particularly in design. We’re nonetheless satisfied that the automotive future is totally electrical, and it’s our ambition to play an energetic position in shaping that.”
There’s acknowledgement – and a level of frustration – that the pace of the transition to EVs isn’t fairly as fast as initially anticipated, at the very least concerning buyer adoption and acceptance. That means this function BEV platform has needed to be tailored to just accept combustion engines. Mercedes-Benz is describing this as VAN.CA (Combustion Structure). Kaehler explains: “It’s true that our clients’ necessities and market situations decide the pace of this transition part, so we will even offer our clients revolutionary and extremely engaging combustion engines. However the important thing phrase is bridging.”
In concrete phrases, this implies Mercedes-Benz is getting into a brand new period with two variations of its van structure. “The variance of the van electrical structure, VAN.EA, that are uncompromisingly developed for totally electrical driving, can be launched in 2026,” says Kaehler, “With our second variant of the van structure, the van with combusted structure VAN.CA, ultra-modern combustion choices will observe.”
In doing this Mercedes-Benz is actively lowering the complexity of its product portfolio, with VAN.EA and VAN.CA platforms that includes round 70% elements commonality, each capable of be produced on the identical manufacturing line, with the plain advantages for flexibility and economies of scale. That the BEV is the first focus of the event, with the combustion structure being the secondary consideration utterly adjustments the earlier growth for such automobiles.
Freezing the info
It’s not simply the main target onto BEVs that has switched with this structure, however the testing itself. “To attain our formidable growth targets, we benefit from all alternatives supplied by digitization,” says Kaehler. As such all check automobiles function real-time knowledge logging, which communicates with what the engineers describe because the ‘energy wall’ in a brand new VR studio. The result’s they’ll cut back real-time testing of all options and focus solely on what’s required to drive.
“Doing so has allowed us to shorten and parallelise the electrical drive timeline, and we’re talking right here of a discount of round 20%,” explains Kaehler. “With our so-called mission management centre on the van headquarters, we’re capable of optimise the info of each check in actual time. This cross-functional cooperation between all departments in addition to the assist of mission management is vital. Right here, all knowledge has monitored and evaluated. Points can now be eradicated as rapidly as doable and in some instances whereas driving by way of over the air software program updates.”
Every car produces round 2.4 terrabytes of knowledge per day, although there are much less prototypes constructed, and so they’re much less ‘full’. Getting within the VAN.EA check car underlines that, with it doing with out a lot of its inside trim, Kaehler saying that they solely check the drive, air flow and heating techniques, against your entire car: “You don’t must construct up a whole automotive right here, we will do that in parallel, this new testing is creating a brand new mind-set.”
The VAN.EA exams aren’t simply pioneering a brand new potential car phase then, however sooner, extra environment friendly means of auto growth, which it’s clear the testing workforce engineers, and administration are very pleased with. The teachings realized will nearly definitely be adopted throughout the passenger automotive line, the brand new processes and concepts, and whereas that may solely imply one winter per car, the proliferation of fashions, and, at present at the very least, the necessity to develop combustion variations off this structure implies that the inhabitants of Arjeplog isn’t more likely to be seeing a discount any time quickly.
VAN.EA Tech
800V know-how, a BEV particular structure, front- or 4MATIC all-wheel drive with the choice of air suspension and rear-wheel steering for manoeuvrability and stability, Mercedes-Benz isn’t holding again with its new VAN.EA platform. Essentially, to penetrate the brand new upmarket phase it’s aiming for, however the business automobiles will even profit, in driveability, agility and, because of the suspension design, load area. The engineers are remaining tight-lipped in regards to the actual specs however what they do admit is the anticipated WLTP vary can be round 500km (round 310 miles).
Naturally, some business functions would require much less vary, and can function smaller batteries and single axle motor set-ups, however the scalable, versatile nature of the platform is designed to adapt to the various wants of its clients. Certainly, Mercedes-Benz has acknowledged it’ll produce a CEP-specific model ex-factory for the Courier, Categorical and Parcel companies, with this key market rising at a price of round 8% yearly.
Three modules basically exist within the platform, the entrance module comprising of the electrical powertrain and entrance axle, this being the identical in all VAN.EA variations as a part of Mercedes-Benz’s optimised commonality technique. The centre part dictates the wheelbase, this basically a battery provider, which may be fitted with differing capability batteries relying on the utilization case. The rear part incorporates the rear axle, which is both unpowered, or positive aspects an electrical motor for 4Matic four-wheel drive fashions.
Just like the combustion automobiles the VAN.EA can be supplied in camper van guises alongside the passenger and luxurious fashions, with the passenger automobiles gaining the choice of air-sprung suspension which can provide adaptive damping and the flexibility to decrease and lift the car for relieving ingress/egress. With manufacturing variations as a consequence of arrive in 2026, and this car having undertaken its ultimate, and solely, winter check – in EA guise at the very least – Mercedes-Benz will proceed to drip-feed information on the VAN.EA over the approaching months.
CLA and GLC BEVs testing drop-in
Whereas in Arjeplog we had the chance to drop in on the testing of Mercedes-Benz’s CLA and GLC BEVs. The manufacturing model of the CLA can be unveiled this Spring, with the GLC anticipated to observe it later within the 12 months. The CLA relies on Mercedes-Benz’s MMA electrical structure, it options 800V electronics with charging doable at a price of as much as 320kW. Both entrance or 4Matic four-wheel drive, the CLA borrows closely from Mercedes-Benz’s record-breaking Imaginative and prescient EQXX, with the manufacturing CLA promising a possible vary for consumption of 12kWh/100 and a WLTP vary of over 750km. That’s with the biggest capability battery, which the engineers admit is 85kWh in capability (a smaller 58KWh battery will even be supplied). The MMA platform is both rear or all-wheel drive, with the rear motor that includes a two-speed transmission to supply the very best in efficiency and economic system.
That completely synchronous machine compact rear motor is 200kW within the rear-drive fashions, with the 4Matic four-wheel drive variations gaining an 80kW motor on the entrance axle with a DCU disconnect for optimum effectivity. Key components from that EQXX features a productionised model of its multi-source warmth pump, which Mercedes-Benz claims can produce 3kW of output from simply 1kW of power, the system utilizing battery waste warmth and the ambient air for optimum effectivity. The battery chemistry on the bigger battery additionally differs from that on the smaller one, with the 85kWh pack that includes silicon carbide anodes to enhance power density over standard batteries by round 20%.
Aiding that effectivity is a newly developed braking system that may recoup as much as 200kW when braking, Mercedes-Benz engineers having labored tirelessly on a brand new braking system that feels extra pure than most EVs, mixing the regeneration and bodily friction brakes to reduce the vagueness so usually related to EV braking techniques, notably throughout that troublesome transition from regeneration to friction braking.
That know-how, in addition to the battery chemistry, two pace motor and decoupling entrance motor (on 4Matic) variations is all additionally as a consequence of function on the GLC. This new SUV BEV is a crucial one for Mercedes-Benz, because the GLC is the corporate’s best-selling mannequin. On proof of our temporary drive of each, and the dedication that the engineers should them, these new BEVs could have the vary, driving dynamics and charging potential to make them extremely compelling options to the present and future competitors.
