Mercedes taking careful aim at competition with all-new electric eSprinter cargo van

Mercedes-Benz will join a growing lineup of electric cargo vans in the U.S. with the 2023 rollout of its all-electric eSprinter, and they just might gain a competitive edge by playing it safe with the battery and torque.

Mercedes confirmed that van can be spec'd with a tow package which would give it another edge over competitors Ford and Rivian. 

Mercedes recently announced that the all-new eSprinter will be available as a high-roof, long cargo van with “the largest battery available,” a 113kWh pack that will provide up to 311 miles of range in the city and 248 miles combined city/highway.

Charging at the front grille behind the Mercedes badge can be done through both AC slow-charging and DC fast-charging.Mercedes-BenzThe 23.3-foot van will come with a lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery, which the German automaker reports “allows the battery variants to be kept free of cobalt and nickel, while active thermal management ensures maximum efficiency.”

[Related: TCA: Long-haul electric trucks not coming anytime soon]

OEMs have been gravitating towards LFP batteries instead of lithium-ion batteries made with cobalt and nickel. According to Cummins, while LFP batteries are less energy dense than cobalt and nickel lithium batteries they do “come with lower manufacturing costs and are easier to produce than other Li-Ion and lead-acid battery types.”