Commercial Vehicle News Electric Cars Reviewed

Mercedes-Benz eSprinter review

December 4, 2024 Phil Huff

The Mercedes eSprinter has been given a major overhaul to improve range and efficiency but has that created new problems elsewhere?

Electric vans are a tricky business. Buyers want ever-increasing range from the battery pack, while cargo demands mean there’s got to be a large payload limit. A big battery pack and a 3.5-tonne gross vehicle limit means there’s always compromise.

The old Mercedes-Benz eSprinter, which unhelpfully looks identical to this new eSprinter, compromised too far. A range of well under 100 miles meant a fully loaded van in midwinter would struggle to crack 50 miles. Mercedes has fixed that problem with the new van, but in doing so, has compromised in other areas.

Design, interior, and technology

Updating the eSprinter’s cab has added a load of tech, much of it accessible via the 10.25-inch infotainment screen. Unusually, it’s integrated into the dashboard, rather than stuck on top like an afterthought. Even more unusually, Mercedes hasn’t gone all-in on touchscreens, so there are plenty of physical buttons around the dashboard for many functions.

That said, the text on the buttons is small, and they’re placed a little haphazardly, making operating them on the move a little tricky. You could use the buttons on the steering wheel for many features, but that’s a touch-sensitive panel that reacts to touches when you don’t want it to (such as when you’re reverse parking) and resolutely refuses to operate when you want them to. Let’s go back to proper buttons, please.

One issue is that none of the touch-sensitive panels work when wearing gloves. That’ll frustrate drivers, especially those on multi-drop schedules, during winter.

Two trim levels are offered, Pro and Select, but there’s not much between them. The entry-level model, Pro, gets air conditioning, a heated driver’s seat, heated and electrically adjustable door mirrors, a reverse camera and cruise control. You’ll need the Select model for LED headlights, a more comfortable driver’s seat, and, bizarrely, cupholders.

Mercedes-Benz eSprinter battery, motor, and performance

You can have an eSprinter in two forms. I’ve got the keys to the 81kWh model, with a useful WLTP range of 167 miles. Splash out on the 113kWh option, and the range increases as far as a very handy 272 miles — ahead of the Ford E-Transit’s 249 miles and behind Renault’s new Master E-Tech and its 285-mile range.

There are two motor choices: an entry-level 134bhp unit or a more potent 201bhp option. Both provide 295lb ft of torque, and there’s no more than a 2% difference in the official range and only a 2% or so price difference.

Whatever model you pick, they can charge at 115kW from a suitable charger, so you should see a 10% to 80% top-up achieved in 32 or 42 minutes.

With just 167 miles in the ‘tank’ on my van, range anxiety kicked in a little, but despite some cold temperatures and long motorway runs, the eSprinter did itself proud. At the end of the week, it had returned 2.0m/kWh, giving it a 162-mile range — just a rounding error away from the official figure.

Three driving modes help that. There’s no ‘sport’ mode, thankfully, with the options being limited to Comfort (for everyday driving), Eco (power is cut, responses are dulled), and Maximum Range (which is tediously restrictive). You can also alter the regenerative braking by flicking paddles behind the steering wheel, although no one-pedal driving option exists.

Ride quality is surprisingly good, and the van is impressively quiet, even at motorway speeds, which will make for a more relaxing day for drivers.

Mercedes-Benz eSprinter. payload and practicality

I mentioned compromises earlier, so hold tight: In 3.5-tonne, 81kWh form, the eSprinter has a maximum payload of 646kg. Take a longer L3 model in Select trim, and it drops down to 490kg. That’s less than half of the payload in a new Renault Master.

Want the big battery? That’s fine, but you’ll have to move beyond 3.5 tonnes. Yes, you’ll get more range, and payload limits on the 4.25t van of up to 1,003kg (still 600kg away from the 4.0-tonne version of the Master), but you also enter a world of difficulties as an operator — tachographs, more stringent MOT regulations, driver’s hours, 56mph speed limiters, etc.

If you’re carrying something bulky and light — perhaps bubble wrap? — then the eSprinter will be great. If that’s you, there are two body lengths and one roof height, with the largest able to accommodate 14m3 of cargo — a little less than you can squeeze into a Master E-Tech or Movano Electric. At a smidge under 7m long, the L3 can take on extremely long loads, though, with a floor-length of 4,410mm.

Price and specification

Mercedes doesn’t make budget vans, so the £59,880 starting price shouldn’t surprise you. That gets you the 81kWh L3 model in Pro spec. Opting for an L2 or Select spec makes very little difference in price. It ramps up if you want the 113kWh battery pack, with prices from £73,260.

The plug-in van grant will knock £5,000 off that, but then it’ll also knock £5,000 off the Renault’s £42,500 price tag.

Verdict

Mercedes has solved the range and performance issues of the eSprinter, but in this facelifted model, introduced an even more egregious problem. While UK legislation can be blamed to a degree, the fact that its rivals can carry substantially more payload for considerably less money without compromising range or performance suggests Mercedes has got its sums wrong. It’s a shame, as in isolation the eSprinter is an excellent van.