Mercedes has a long history and vast expertise in the sector of campers, and the star’s mark adds a unique dimension to this eco-friendly offering. The Mercedes EQV, a high-capacity electric minivan, is converted into an electric Camper with everything you need on board and a long range.
Mercedes has a lengthy history in the specialty market for camper vehicles, where the Marco Polo variations have made it one of the industry leaders. However, in the age of electricity, the star brand has taken advantage of the Mercedes EQV to turn it from an electric minivan to a unique model for enjoying nature and long excursions in the luxury of a camper.
Mercedes Vans’ commercial vehicle business leverages Sortimo’s knowledge to turn the electric model into a zero-emission Camper, one of the first to join the market in the coming months, and with a variety of customizations to suit taste and client requirements. Despite being carried out by an independent Mercedes bodybuilder, this set of unique solutions matches the specifications asked for Campers and hence has official manufacturer clearance.
Sortimo comes in a variety of configurations, including a drop-down tent that lifts the top of the electric minivan and accommodates a bed for two people inside. Furthermore, there is enough inside room to install a multipurpose with a bed and even a kitchen cabinet with drawers, a basin, and a gas-fired stove in the trunk area. A tiny refrigerator and storage room for utensils and food are also included in the EQV.
The kitchen cabinets also hold an extra bed that spans the whole width of the Mercedes EQ model and can accommodate three people.
The Swiss bodybuilder creates furniture with predetermined dimensions that fit the EQV cabin, is composed of light and durable materials, and does not add to the set’s weight, which diminishes the propulsion battery’s autonomy.
In addition, thanks to its total power of 400 Watts, this new electric Camper has swivel functionality in both the driver and front passenger seats, as well as the ability to install a pair of solar panels on the roof to recharge the starting battery and the auxiliary of the various on-board systems.
The Mercedes EQV comes in two lengths: 5140 and 5370 millimeters, as well as two versions: EQV 250 and EQV 300. Both have a lithium-ion battery in the middle of the axles with capacities of 60 and 90 kWh and ranges of 236 and 363 kilometers, respectively. Only the second, more powerful, is capable of recharging the battery to 80% in 45 minutes. Both may be altered without difficulty by the Swiss firm.
There’s a lot to say about this rock-crystal white EQV, but two things stand out in particular. First, the typical gasoline filling flap on the driver’s side of the door pillar still opens and closes, but there are no nozzles for diesel or AdBlue behind it, nothing. Second, there’s the basic start. There are no hidden or crystal glass keys, no finger scanners, and no glitzy shift-by-wire glitz. No, simply insert the huge remote control key into the ignition lock, spin it around, and choose “D” on the thin automated gear selector behind the steering wheel.
But not with a fierce push, but with meekness and suitable speed.
Finally, Mercedes installs a 150 kW (204 PS) electric motor with 362 Nm of torque over the front axle. The power is just 100 or 80 kW in the range-optimized drive programs E and E +, and a medium-length V-Class is a pretty heavy mode of transport.
In and of itself, travel is a class.
The new electric bus gets its power from a 700-pound subterranean 100-kilowatt-hour battery block. The curb weight is also rather high: 2,887 kg. In the test, a V 300 d took it up to 2.4 tons. We can readily see why an EQV takes 11.3 seconds to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h and accelerates slowly from the recommended pace. If you have not booked an activation to 160 km/h for 183 euros, it is electrically capped at 140 km/h.
At such speeds, one should keep a careful check on the competent charging station finder in the navigation system, given the 3.25 square meters of frontal area, because such speeds greatly limit the already short range. Our measurements suggest a test consumption of 31 kWh, while the e-bus uses 25 kWh even when driving extremely cautiously. As a result, the range is realistically between 306 and 380 kilometers.
Is it good or bad? In this configuration, there are (yet) no equivalent cars. The Mercedes EQC, a heavyweight with equally thick batteries, is slightly higher at 34.9 kWh. Both the Audi e-tron Sportback 55 Quattro (33.8 kWh) and the Audi e-tron Sportback 55 Quattro (33.8 kWh) are substantially quicker with 300 kW system output.
In any event, it’s 300 kilometers of blissful relaxation. Wind and wheels are the only sounds you can hear; there’s no grouchy diesel or squeaky furniture. There’s also a broad array of support systems, wide and pleasant leather seats, and an optional air suspension (2,303 euros) that restricts body movement and barely passes a transverse joint. It can raise the full load 35 millimeters on hard ground. In a bus of this size, there is no more pleasant way to travel.
On steep slopes, the brakes don’t feel as smooth. The extended pedal travel, ambiguous pressure point, and slow deceleration necessitate a dedicated pilot who stomps on the pedal forcefully.
On the test track, this perception is supported by the poor deceleration figures: ten measures from 100 km/h and always readings above 40 meters – despite sturdy tires with 18-inch Contis (PremiumContact 6). This is unacceptable for a Mercedes that weights 3.5 tonnes when fully loaded. It doesn’t help that the manufacturer merely shrugs his shoulders when asked and doesn’t seem astonished by the facts.
Loading in the EQV is more relaxed.
Returning to the benefits, this includes, in addition to the cruiser sensation, waiting at the charging station – honestly. Because the EQV’s size, as well as the versatile equipment with several modifications, are advantageous here.
Why not just get into the driver’s seat, open the table and laptop, and text a little? Or do you want to read and sleep with the kids? A lounger package with a bed extension and dark glazing is available for an additional 1,083 euros. Charging energy may be done in a more comfortable manner this way.
However, there isn’t much time for this because, owing to the charging power of up to 110 kW that is currently popular, charging is rather rapid. The front left charging socket in the bumper is strategically located for big HPC chargers on highways, while recharging on tiny pillars, such as on the right on the sidewalk, requires greater parking abilities. After all, the EQV is one of the world’s longest electric automobiles, standing at 5.14 meters. Tip: For an extra 44 euros, the vendor will provide an eight-meter-long wire, and a 360-degree camera won’t hurt either.
Finally, a serious assessment of financial matters. The EQV 300 has long been considered an avant-garde vehicle, but after subtracting the environmental incentive (7,975 euros), the e-bus is no longer much more expensive than a similar V 300 d with a 235 hp four-cylinder diesel engine (66,283 Euro). When you include in the ten-year tax break and cheaper maintenance expenses, the EQV soon pays for itself. However, the poor brakes and limited range remain key flaws.
In the individual test, each e-car must be linked to a 350 kW rapid charger (HPC) with empty batteries. The charging curve is then delivered to the testing department. The EQV, on the other hand, can only charge with a maximum of 110 kilowatts and only up to a 30 percent charge level.
The already modest charging curve then flattens down to 80 kW, which it maintains until the charge level reaches 85 percent. The Mercedes, on the other hand, takes 49 minutes to charge from zero to 80 percent; the considerably cheaper Hyundai Ioniq 5, for example, does so in just 21 minutes, although charging up to 45 percent with 210 kW.
Keyword: Mercedes EQV, Transformed Into an Electric Camper