Mercedes-Benz Vans plans to electrify all its commercial model ranges over the next few years, starting with the eVito, which is now available to order, with deliveries commencing in the second half of 2018. The eVito will be followed in 2019 by the eSprinter, and finally the Citan.

The leading van manufacturer presented its holistic electric drive strategy at the eDrive@VANs workshop in Berlin. The focus was not just on the electric van itself, but also on a technological ecosystem tailored specifically to customers‘ business needs. A holistic strategy based on five cornerstones delivers an innovative total-system solution covering the entire value chain of commercial usage. In order to meet this goal, customer co-creation plays a central role in product development, integrating the strategic partner and their industry expertise into the development process. The new eVito is the first production vehicle to have been developed using this strategic approach.

“We are convinced by the necessity of electric drive in our vans, especially in city centre applications,” says Volker Mornhinweg, head of Mercedes-Benz Vans. “That said, electrification of the commercial fleet is not an end in itself, but follows the same principles as a classic drive when it comes to profitability. With our eDrive@VANs initiative, we‘re showing that only holistic mobility solutions extending beyond the drive itself present a real alternative for commercial customers. The eVito is the starting point and will be followed by the new generation of our Sprinter as well as the Citan.”