Andreas Zygan is relieved. In latest weeks, the highest van developer at Mercedes launched into a terrific journey. A 12 months or two sooner than regular, he despatched his engineers out with the following technology V-Class – immediately from the take a look at web site and take a look at benches and with out the quick take a look at drives that prototypes normally take. As a substitute, they launched into a marathon. Builders drove the next-gen V-Class from Stuttgart to the North Cape. After 3. 343 kilometres with a median pace of 74.5 kph and an excellent dozen stops at numerous charging stations with none important breakdowns or issues – a lot to the reduction of Zygan, who accompanied the journey in Mission Management and adopted the info stream dwell on the pc – they drove again.
“We’ve by no means launched into an experiment like this so early on,” says Zygan and raves a few new growth method: “As a substitute of finishing two or three main take a look at drives within the warmth and chilly late within the growth course of, this time, we used software program tasks as a mannequin,” says Zygan: “We do small sprints in cross-functional groups and work in parallel on the highway and the pc.” That ought to save as much as 25 per cent of the standard growth time.
However there’s a want for haste – Mercedes must catch up within the electrification of its vans. Though the EQV and its business brother Vito have simply been given a facelift, it was solely beauty. Nothing has modified concerning the drive system, which isn’t aggressive. And towards the brand new high-end competitors from Asia, the place EVs such because the Denza D9, Lexus LM, or lately even the Volvo EM90 are more and more changing into the choice for luxurious saloons and are stealing the present from the S-Class and even the Maybach.
Present electrical vans will not be actually aggressive
The Sprinter’s expertise was additionally introduced updated for the facelift and a modular drive system, together with an electrical rear axle, which was squeezed into the present structure. Nevertheless, a most of 440 kilometres of vary and charging capacities of 11 or 115 kW are hardly sufficient to maintain up with fashions similar to the brand new Renault Grasp. To not point out devoted electrical vans similar to Rivian’s EDV-500 Electrical Supply Van or Kia’s upcoming fashions.
That’s why Zygan and his boss, Mathias Geisen, can hardly wait till their VAN.EA is lastly prepared. Simply because the MMA with the brand new CLA is about to change into a liberating blow for the passenger automotive division, Zygan’s new electrical structure will put Mercedes’ vans again on the map. Firstly, it presents aggressive drive programs with 800-volt expertise, a 22 kW AC charger, the choice of all-wheel drive and batteries for a variety of greater than 500 kilometres. Secondly, it’s geared up with the brand new MB.OS working system for infotainment on a par with the S-Class and help programs that may be upgraded to autopilot. And since it’s versatile sufficient to cowl all the van portfolio – at the very least from the V-Class upwards. The times of the Citan and the T-Class from the co-operation with Renault are reportedly numbered anyway.
As a substitute, there’s a standardised entrance module for all variants, a centre module scales the car size and accommodates totally different battery sizes in standardised housings, and the rear module is obtainable as a tag-along axle or with a second motor for the overdue electrical all-wheel drive.
Whereas they need to scale back the variety of technical variants by 50 per cent with a modular system and nonetheless meet all necessities, they’re specializing in extra individualisation than ever by way of design. Geisen, Zygan and van designer Kai Sieber have revealed that the personal and business automobiles will not be solely differentiated by identify. The V-Class, because the trio revealed at an unique preview – and not using a digital camera, in fact – breaks away from the dictate of most house utilisation, permits itself a couple of curves as an alternative of corners and edges and will be embellished with a lot gentle and tinsel that every one the V-Lessons with a faux Maybach design at the moment rolling by China or Turkey out of the blue seem like low cost copies. And the successor to the Vito and Sprinter can be angular and boxy. Sq., sensible and sound, it is going to be the beefy boss that commerce, commerce and trade can proudly roll onto constructing websites or loading bays.
When Zygan – one other first within the German carmaker’s growth schedule – invitations you to take your first drive in one of many prototypes that has simply returned from the North Cape two years earlier than the market launch, you possibly can already sense a substantial amount of departure. The brand new platform nonetheless bears the previous bodywork, which can be lined with camouflage, so nothing extra will be recognised than the considerably bigger monitor width underneath the broad wings. And within the inside, too, there’s not a lot signal of the big display screen panorama that Sieber was raving about earlier within the design studio, nor of Zygan’s imaginative and prescient for the S-Class amongst vans. As a result of the place you’ll later be capable to lounge in luxurious captain’s chairs and luxuriate in digital leisure on giant screens, the engineers are actually squeezing themselves between computer systems and measuring devices on regular benches. The extraordinarily deep and flat boot flooring is crammed stuffed with expertise. And there’s nonetheless no query of velvet and silk.
However the distinction is greater than evident when driving. How gently and easily the house traveller glides alongside, for instance – as if it weren’t travelling on Belgian pavement, however on the Milky Means. How powerfully it accelerates, how easily it rolls alongside. The van is already nearer to an S-Class than a Sprinter. It’s considerably quicker than the EQV, which is at the moment restricted to 140 kph, and far simpler to deal with. Like all vehicles constructed on a devoted electrical platform (and not have to depart room for a combustion engine), it has a noticeably smaller turning circle. Because of this, the V-Class turns as if it had shrunk to the dimensions of the B-Class and swiftly weaves by the lane of cones they arrange at Mercedes’ personal driveway in Untertürkheim. Slaloming by stop-and-go visitors or parking in entrance of the Grand Resort – the chauffeurs have one thing to sit up for. And that’s not meant sarcastically this time.
100 kWh battery, 300 kW energy ought to be a given
You don’t should be a clairvoyant to imagine the car may have greater than 100 kWh in order that regardless of the supposedly streamlined form, the onboard pc will finally present a variety of over 500 kilometres, which is crucial on this class. As quick because the V-Class drives across the course, Zygan should have put in 300 kW on the 2 axles collectively, provided that it weighs three tonnes. Nevertheless, if you wish to discover out extra, the highest developer asks for a bit of endurance. As a result of as quick because the Germans are this time, it is going to be some time earlier than they pull off the movie, raise the veil and launch the info sheet. The brand new V-Class powered by EQ expertise isn’t as a result of launch till 2026 as the primary mannequin within the VAN.EA household.
They usually additionally should maintain the present vary. As a result of regardless that Mercedes is hoping to interrupt free with the VAN.EA, lastly play within the premier league of latest charging champions, and enhance the proportion of electrical automobiles to 50 per cent by 2030, the Stuttgart-based builders haven’t misplaced their grip on actuality. Geisen and Zygan are definitely not aloof however realise that not all clients are prepared for the swap, and, in fact, they’re additionally conscious of how the electrical euphoria has cooled lately. That’s why there gained’t be a radical transition, Zygan guarantees: In the meanwhile, VAN.EA and the previous fashions can be supplied in parallel.