Australia's first eight-seat EV confirmed! 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQV, eVito Tourer and more electric vans locked in

Courier deliveries and airport transfers are about to get a lot quieter and more environmentally friendly as of next year.

Mercedes-Benz Vans Australia has confirmed it will add a number of new all-electric commercial vans and people movers to its range mid-next year.

Going on sale in April with first deliveries kicking off in June, Benz will add the luxurious EQV eight-seater and the more affordable eVito Tourer people mover to its line-up, as well as the commercial-focused eVito mid-size van.

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Rather than replacing any of the vans and people movers in the current line-up, Mercedes-Benz says it intends to offer internal combustion engine and electric models side by side, until it eventually switches to all-electric in the future, “when customer and market demand determines it”.

Pricing and specification details are being held back until closer to launch, but given the EQV’s positioning as a premium model, it will cost more than the current V-Class, which ranges from $93,472 before on-road costs to $98,230. So expect a six-figure pricetag when the EQV goes on sale.

The eVito is also expected to attract a price premium over the current range ($42,900-$68,750), and the e-Vito Tourer should exceed the price of the Valente people mover that starts at $65,800.

The pair will be the first fully electric people movers to be sold in Australia.

The eVito Tourer will be sold alongside the internal combustion Valente.

Both the EQV and eVito Tourer use a 150kW/362Nm electric powertrain featuring a 90kWh lithium-ion battery, driving the front wheels. The EQV’s driving range is 356km (WLTP) and the eVito Tourer’s is 361km.

The eVito van’s local powertrain specification will be released early next year, but international models have a 85kW/300Nm electric motor driving the front wheels and 35kWh lithium-ion battery pack with a 148km WLTP range.

The German automaker also announced that the eSprinter large commercial van will roll into Australian dealerships from 2024. However, it won’t be the current-generation eSprinter that only just went on sale in Europe in 2020.

Instead, Mercedes-Benz Vans Australia has opted to wait for the all-new eSprinter that will feature double the number of variants compared to the current model, including three different battery options, two wheelbases and multiple body styles including van, cab chassis and people mover.

The next-gen eSprinter will be underpinned by Mercedes’ forthcoming Electric Versatility Platform and is expected to have a longer driving range than the current model’s 150km maximum.

It will go head-to-head with Ford’s E-Transit large van that will arrive in Australia next year.

According to a Mercedes-Benz Vans Australia spokesperson, there is healthy demand from some of Benz’s large fleet customers for electric vans, given their own sustainability targets.