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Mercedes-Benz VLE: Electric “Grand Luxury”
The three-pointed star brand is unveiling the new generation of its large electric MPV, previously known as the EQV. Renamed VLE, this luxury people carrier is packed with sophistication, pixels, and energy… 100% electric.
A versatile family companion or a van favored by tourist transport operators, the Mercedes-Benz V-Class is far more than just a high-end minivan.
So much so that this best-seller has been offered, since 2019, in a fully electric version: the EQV. A model that may be little known in our region, admittedly, but one that has found its audience elsewhere, accounting for up to 11% of total V-Class sales.
Hence the importance of its renewal at a time when electric cars are gaining both range and popularity. This is how the VLE was born, its final letter referring both to its electrification and to its position in the Mercedes hierarchy (E-Class). To make a strong impression, the VLE first relies on its avant-garde silhouette, stretching to 5.30 meters in length, or even 5.49 meters in its extended version.
Admittedly, the look is somewhat rounded and the lines are a bit too soft in places, but the overall design is well executed, as evidenced by the huge grille with its illuminated outline, as well as the front headlights and their star-pattern light signature. At the rear, it retains vertical taillights that connect to form an arch across a tailgate that still features an independently opening rear window.
Over 700 km of range! Access is made easy to a trunk whose capacity approaches 800 liters, even when all three rows of seats are in place. Inside, the VLE practically turns itself into a limousine, offering space, comfort, and sophistication worthy of an S-Class, but for 6 or even 8 occupants.
Beyond its panoramic roof, leather trim, and three-screen dashboard, the VLE goes all out to pamper its passengers in an exceptional way.
How? With so-called “Grand Comfort” seats—armchairs with multiple electric adjustments, including massage and calf support. Then there’s the highlight: the optional MBUX Rear Space Experience, a retractable 31.3-inch 8K panoramic screen!
Enough to elevate the journey, which takes place in assured acoustic comfort, as the VLE relies exclusively on 100% electric technology. In this regard, two versions are mentioned: VLE 300 and VLE 400.
The former features a 276 hp (202 kW) electric motor mounted on the front axle, while the latter adds a second unit at the rear to reach a total output of 415 hp (305 kW), delivered to all four wheels via 4MATIC all-wheel drive. In both cases, a 115 kWh battery is used, for a range from 630 km (VLE 400) to over 700 km (VLE 300).
Finally, while we know that the VLE’s starting price is estimated at €79,000 in Germany, nothing else is yet known about the rest of its pricing structure or its global launch schedule. Its arrival in Morocco remains uncertain, but not impossible.
Heavy-duty carrier
Stretching over 5.30 meters—and even 5.49 meters in its long version—the VLE is equipped to carry up to 8 people across three rows.
Rather than the boxy shape of a utility van, the VLE features a rounded look and an arched profile. The highlight of this new and stylish silhouette is the imposing grille with its illuminated outline.
