Mercedes-Benz VAN.EA Prototype Previews Marque’s Future EV Vans

Mercedes-Benz unveils the working prototype of the upcoming all-electric van that underpins the VAN.EA platform.

It’s not often that automakers share ‘spy shots’ of their own upcoming model, and that’s exactly what Mercedes-Benz decides to do with its upcoming all-electric van. Although no official names were christened so far, this working EV prototype is slated to replace the Vito and V-Class vans later in 2026.

And just like the ICE-powered Vito and V-Class, this working prototype appears to sport a conventional MPV bodystyle, featuring flushed door handles for both the front and rear sliding doors, repositioned side mirrors, and a more bulbous greenhouse. Despite the prototype still being wrapped in camouflage, some design elements are still visible here, including the new front fascia and the LED headlight design that looks somewhat similar to what we found on the both the EQV and EQS SUV.

This next-gen all-electric van lineup will further separate the lines between the commercial-biassed Vito (left) and the passenger-oriented V-Class (right).

Apart from some of the design cues seen on this prototype, Mercedes-Benz remains tight-lipped about the rest of the van, although it promises that its new all-electric van lineup will feature a “clear differentiation between privately positioned vans in the luxury segment and commercial vans in the premium segment.”

In other words, it seems like the German automaker is planning to separate the Vito and V-Class models, although this new product portfolio will range from “family vans to exclusive VIP shuttles to luxurious and spacious limousines for customers with the highest demands.”

Regardless of their purposes or segment position, these new all-electric vans will underpin the brand’s proprietary VAN.EA EV platform. Again, no details were given by Merc on neither the platform nor the powertrain setups it will be primed with, except that it will be offered in both front-wheel drive (FWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD) specifications. On top of that, this dedicated platform can also support an 800-volt battery architecture, a 22 kW on-board AC charger, as well as the latest Mercedes-Benz Operating System—the latter enabling some semi-autonomous driving capabilities.

Prior to this preview, Mercedes-Benz initially promised that the luxury private vans born from the VAN.EA platform will boast a maximum EV range of over 500 KM as well as Level 3 semi-autonomous driving capabilities. Meanwhile, its premium commercial counterpart will get roughly the same maximum EV range, plus an option for a Level 4 autonomous driving system to “address the business potential of driverless transportation.”

With that being said, the first production model based on this VAN.EA prototype is slated to hit the market as early as 2026, where it will be an all-electric successor to both the Vito and V-Class lineups. Until then, we can expect to learn more about these upcoming EV vans as we get closer to their debut.