The updated Mercedes-Benz eSprinter has been confirmed for South Africa. Here’s what to expect from this fully electric van when it touches down in 2024…

Mercedes-Benz Vans South Africa has confirmed the freshly updated eSprinter electric van is scheduled to hit the local market at some point in 2024.

The news comes after the German firm’s local division last year revealed it was studying the feasibility of marketing van-based electric vehicles in South Africa.

“As we embark on a new era of sustainable mobility, we are proud to announce that the eSprinter will arrive in South Africa by 2024. This vehicle will offer a game-changing solution for businesses and individuals looking for a cost-effective, environmentally friendly mode of transportation. This marks a significant milestone in our commitment to creating a more sustainable future for all,” said Nadia Trimmel, President of Mercedes-Benz Vans SA.

The updated eSprinter – which will interestingly be offered with the MBUX system familiar from the passenger-vehicle range – is due to launch in panel-van form in North America in the 2nd half of 2023, before hitting Europe by the end of the year and South Africa by the following year. A cab-chassis variant and other battery variants will “gradually” follow, though these have yet to be announced for South Africa. The vehicle will be produced at the company’s Charleston, Düsseldorf and Ludwigsfelde facilities.

It’s not yet clear whether the chassis-cab version of the eSprinter will be offered locally.

A permanent magnet synchronous electric motor is positioned on the rear axle and weighs “only around 130 kg”, according to Mercedes-Benz Vans. It is expected be available in 2 power outputs: 100 kW or 150 kW, with peak torque of “up to” 400 Nm.

The battery-powered, high-roof panel van can be equipped with what Mercedes-Benz Vans describes as “the largest battery available”, which has a usable capacity of 113 kWh. Based on a simulation using the WLTP cycle, the company says the (provisional) single-change range will be “up to 400 km”, a figure that increases to 500 km when using the WLTP’s city cycle.

Depending on the customer’s “individual range and payload requirements”, a smaller battery pack with a usable capacity of either 56 kW or 81 kW can also be specified. The vehicle’s on-board charger has a maximum output of 11 kW, with the eSprinter able to accept up to 115 kW at fast-charging stations.

Initially, Mercedes-Benz Vans said a new-generation eSprinter would be revealed in 2023, though now it seems the company has pushed this back to a later date, instead handing the electric van a considerable update.

As a reminder, the Mercedes-Benz passenger-vehicle brand has already introduced a raft of all-electric models (includingEQA,EQB,EQCandEQSsedan) to South Africa, with yet more (such as theEQE sedan,EQE SUVandEQS SUV) coming…

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