The UK’s market-leading large van has now joined Mercedes-Benz’ electric line up. Priced from £51,950 based on an eSprinter Van PROGRESSIVE L2 H2 front-wheel drive, excluding VAT and OLEV grant, the eSprinter is offered exclusively in the PROGRESSIVE trim.

The eSprinter comes in two variants, one offering standard DC 20kW fast charging meaning vehicle can be charged in 120 mins 10-80 per cent, the other Dc 80kW charging meaning it can be charged in 30 mins 10-80 per cent

In addition, the eSprinter uses a process called recuperation that recovers energy when the vehicle is decelerating. Drivers can adjust the recuperation mode with the gearshift paddles and the greater the recuperation, the faster the vehicle decelerate.

As standard, the eSprinter includes a heated seat for the driver with armrest, dual passenger seat, comfort overhead control panel, a full-width partition, height and rake adjustable steering wheel, TEMPMATIC air conditioning, wooden floor, a mode 3 type 2 eight-meter charging cable, linear speed limiter 74 mph, headlight assistant, heat-insulating glass, and 270-degree double-wing rear-end doors. In addition to DAB radio, the Mercedes-Benz audio system comes with a Bluetooth interface with hands-free function and a USB port.

With enhanced safety, the eSprinter’s class-leading package of driver support as standard includes Active Brake ASSIST, Attention ASSIST, Crosswind ASSIST and Emergency eCall, and offers double locks and Thatcham Category 1 approved alarm as standard, along with remote locking, theft warning alerts and geo-fencing, thanks to Mercedes PRO connect.

Mercedes PRO connect, which is free for the first two years, ensures real-time vehicle management that enables intelligently organised schedules, efficient  route mapping, and assesses the battery charge levels and range of an entire fleet at a glance. The remote eCharging function enables drivers to programme cooling or heating while their van is still charging, to ensure optimal comfort from the moment they step in the vehicle while conserving battery and maximising driving range.

The Always Connected Package from Mercedes PRO connect, which is standard on the eSprinter, includes Simplified Fleet Communication, Optimised Assistance, Digital Records, Efficiency Fleet Management, Driving Style Analysis, Mobile Vehicle Assess and Digital eVan Management.

Eligible for a government OLEV grant of up to £8,000, the eSprinter is also eligible for Transport for London’s scrappage scheme and exempt from ULEZ charges.

Offering a range of up to 96 miles, Mercedes-Benz research shows that the average daily van mileage across Europe is 60 miles – 1.6 million journeys have been analysed anonymously on the EQ Ready app to date and 96 per cent of all journeys recorded were shorter than 100km (62 miles).

The load space also remains uncompromised, thanks to the configuration of the batteries under the floor; four parallel high-voltage battery blocks are installed securely in the eSprinter’s underbody as standard, which can be replaced individually in the event of damage. The eSprinter’s battery benefits from an eight year, 160,000km (approximately 100,000 miles) warranty, and has an expected battery capacity of at least 70 per after eight years.

The eSprinter is offered in a choice of five solid paints as standard. A selection of five metallic paints can also be chosen for £565, with Maturin black fabric upholstery as standard. Caluma black fabric (£60) or black ARTICO man-made leather (£60) are additional options. While 16-inch steel wheels are standard, upgraded wheel options include 16-inch full wheel cover (£95), 16-inch black light alloy wheels (£755), and 16-inch light alloy wheels (£650).