2026 Mercedes-Benz V-Class Maximum Van Looks Mean Maximum Van Capabilities

Mercedes-Benz is making a new generation of electric V-Class vans. The Carbuzz spies caught a prototype of the electric van out and about, testing in the cold winter weather of Sweden. The new van is the second version of electric V-Class from Mercedes-Benz Vans, but it will be the first one on a dedicated platform. The new V-Class will be built on the VAN.EA electric architecture, the same advanced 800V platform that will be used across the brand’s line of commercial vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter.
 

If you’re wondering why you might care about the van formerly known as the Vito, it’s because this new electric version is different. This one will be coming to the US, as soon as 2026.
 
Maximum Van Looks Mean Maximum Van Capabilities
The spy shots give us a look at what Mercedes-Benz has planned for the next-gen van, as well as its shape. That shape is ‘traditional van,’ which isn’t really a surprise. The nose is flatter than the outgoing van, though, with a much taller and flatter hood line compared to the old van, which was labeled and sold as the EQV. We’re not sure why Benz is doing that, but possible reasons include under-hood storage space via a larger frunk, changes needed to meet Euro crash impact standards, or even just a taller line to confuse people like us while it’s hidden under the wrap.
 

To nobody’s surprise, the rear door looks enormous. It takes up nearly the entire back of the van and is quite flat to maximize cargo space and flexibility. The bottom of the tailgate, and therefore the load floor at the back, is also impressively low by the standards of any van, not just EVs. That and the large rear glass have long been a hallmark of the V-Series.
 
Benz has made the rear drive unit, floor section, and battery pack extremely thin in order to make that cargo-friendly height possible. Sliding doors on both sides make loading and unloading easier and means drivers don’t need to worry about loading into traffic.
 

Simple Lights And Glass Help Keep Running Costs Low
The headlights appear to be missing the fancy star-shaped lighting signature we’ve seen on every other Benz prototype recently, but there’s plenty of camo and we don’t have a clear head-on view. Then again, a van is expected to endure dings and scrapes, and cheap and simple lamps are a big part of the overall lifecycle of keeping fleet costs down. At the rear, we have early placeholders.
 
Along the same lines, the doors look like flat stampings instead of more complex parts. The glass, both at the sides and in the windshields, appears also to be completely flat parts. They won’t keep build or repair costs down, but the three sensor plates on the nose suggest that this van will have plenty of advanced assists to try and prevent a collision in the first place.
 
Van.EA, the architecture for the new vans, is three different modules. The front chassis module includes an electric motor, so it’s for AWD or front-drive vans. The middle holds the battery and is also the section of the platform that decides length. It can be stretched or shrunk to make the multiple wheelbase options that buyers of the bigger Sprinter van want. The rear module holds the second motor on AWD models or just the rear suspension on front drivers. Expect a debut late this year or early next.