Mercedes-Benz Vans is conducting winter tests under extreme climatic conditions with the next generation of the eSprinter, which will be announced at the end of 2020, near the Arctic Circle. The focus apparently lies with reliability in winter conditions.
While there will be hardly any changes to the appearance of the van built at the Düsseldorf plant, virtually everything under the sheet metal is new: as reported, the next generation is based on a completely new platform. The eSprinter will be offered with three battery variants and numerous body variants ranging from a panel van to a chassis for box bodies.
Mercedes-Benz mentions a few points that were tested at the test site in Arjeplog, Sweden, at temperatures as low as -30 degrees, but – as is usual with such announcements – no results. For example, the effects of extreme cold on handling, ergonomics, thermal management and interior comfort were tested. For these tests, the vehicles were additionally cooled down in cold chambers “in order to check the cold protection of drive components, heating systems, software and interfaces”, according to Mercedes. Another point was the charging behaviour: The charging management was “decisively examined and optimised”.
Even if the results of the individual tests are not mentioned, Mercedes-Benz is satisfied: After just over half of the test period, which lasted several weeks, it became clear that the vehicle was able to withstand ice and snow as well as extreme cold, according to the press release. After all, commercial customers depend on their van not letting them down even in ice and snow – and therefore place the same demands on e-transporters as on their counterparts with combustion engines.
The next generation of the eSprinter is not only intended to open up new customer segments, but also new markets, including the USA and Canada. The range will more than double compared to the current eSprinter, depending on the configuration. Mercedes is not yet giving exact data on battery size, charging capacity or drive power.
The next generation of the eSprinter will be built in a total of three plants. Beginning in the second half of 2023, production will start first in Charleston in the USA and then in Düsseldorf and Ludwigsfelde in Germany. The panel van and estate car will be built in Düsseldorf, and the flatbed van and the chassis for special bodies in Ludwigsfelde.
Keyword: Mercedes is testing the eSprinter in the Arctic Circle