Snapshot
- Benz electric van starts from $89,353 before on-road costs
- Up to 360km electric range; 110kW DC fast-charging
- 882kg payload for panel van; eight seats in Tourer
Mercedes-Benz has confirmed pricing for its first electric van, with the midsize eVito delivery van available from $89,353 before on-road costs and the eight-seater eVito Tourer from $116,115.
Mercedes-Benz has confirmed with Wheels Media that it has some stock of the eVito models in Australia right now, with more to arrive before the end of the year. Both will be considered a permanent fixture of the local range.
Both of the eVito variants coming to Australia sit on the Vito’s ‘medium’ wheelbase measuring 3200mm with an overall length of 5140mm.
The eVitos don’t come cheap then, with the panel van representing a 42 per cent premium over a Vito 116 CDI, and the Tourer a 64 per cent leap beyond its diesel counterpart.
The two vans will be joined by a more luxurious EQV seven-seater – based on the V-Class people mover – later this year before the full-size electric Sprinter arrives in 2024.
The midsize electric van category is small at the moment with only the BYD T3 ($39,950 before on-road costs) and now the eVito. Peugeot is looking to introduce an electric van, potentially off the midsize Expert – it already has a hydrogen FCEV version in Europe – while Ford has confirmed the E-Transit large van will arrive early next year.
Power, payload, range and charging speed
Of the two vans, it’s the airport-shuttle-chic eVito Tourer that gets the larger 90kWh (usable) lithium-ion battery pack and 150kW/365Nm front-mounted electric motor.
The eVito Tourer is capable of a 360km driving range in WLTP testing with an energy consumption of 26kWh/100km. DC fast-charging takes 45 minutes to rejuvenate 10-80 per cent battery at 110kW, while a full charge from an 11kW AC wallbox takes around 10 hours.
The eVito panel van makes do with a smaller 60kWh battery pack teamed with an 85kW/360Nm motor for 239km of driving range range (WLTP). DC fast-charging is capped to 80kW for a 10-80 per cent charge time of 35 minutes.
Compared to diesel-powered vans, the eVito has a favourable payload thanks to a slightly higher gross combined mass. The eVito’s 882kg payload beats the medium wheelbase 116CDI manual (850kg), though the lighter short wheelbase 116CDI is capable of 1252kg.
As for load space, the eVito panel van offers 6000 litres of cargo capacity, thanks to a 2398mm long, 1709mm wide and 1392mm high load space.
(Queried on the likely driving range for either model when loaded to capacity, Mercedes-Benz was unable to confirm specific figures. This is not an unusual outcome, although most brands will concede – at least when questioned in person at launch events – that EVs can lose around 50 per cent of their driving range when towing at full capacity. A fully-loaded van might return similar figures, but we'll have to test this in the future. – Mike Stevens)
Warranty and servicing
The Mercedes-Benz eVito is covered by the brand’s now standard five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. The high voltage battery is covered for eight years/160,000km.
Service intervals are set at 12 months/40,000kms, the same time as a diesel Vito but with an extra 15,000km distance allowed in that time.
2023 Mercedes-Benz eVito features
eVito panel van
7.0-inch touchscreen |
Apple CarPlay/Android Auto |
Leather-appointed steering wheel |
Cloth upholstery |
Heated front seats |
Three-stage adjustable regen braking |
Blind-spot monitoring |
Rear cross-traffic alert |
Lane-trace assist |
Front AEB |
Front and rear parking sensors |
eVito tourer (beyond eVito panel van)
17-inch alloy wheels |
Body colour bumpers |
Eight seats (2:3:3 split) |
‘Thermotronic’ climate control with remote function |
Leatherette upholstery |
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