Shortly after revealing that it was splitting its commercial and passenger vehicle business into two separate entities, Mercedes-Benz debuted three new future EV van platforms, one of which will underpin the all-new eSprinter, which will compete directly with the Ford E-Transit in the U.S. and Europe. The Mercedes-Benz e-Sprinter made its official debut back in February, but as is usually the case, the automaker didn’t reveal all of the details about its new model – including pricing – at that time. Now it has, giving us a clearer picture of how the new EV van stacks up against the segment-leading E-Transit.
The Mercedes-Benz eSprinter will start out at $74,181 for the standard output 100 kW (134 horsepower) variant, and $77,611 for the higher-output 150 kW (201 horsepower) model. Both utilize a 113 kWh battery pack and a single electric motor, and in the U.S., the eSprinter will only be available in one configuration at launch – the long-wheelbase, cargo van with a high roof. Range comes in at around 249 miles on Europe’s generous WLTP cycle, meaning that EPA figures in the U.S. will likely be lower.
By comparison, the Ford E-Transit starts out at $55,995 for the similar cargo van, high roof, extended length variant. That model comes equipped with a 68 kWh battery good for up to 126 miles of range, as well as a single electric motor churning out 266 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque.
As for the Mercedes eSprinter, charging speed is a bit less than one might expect at 9.6 kW for AC power and 50 kW of standard DC fast-charging capability – with a quicker 115 kW available as an option. The new model will be produced at the automaker’s plant in Charleston, South Carolina, and order banks are open now.
We’ll have more on the eSprinter and all of Ford’s future competitors soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford Transit news and ongoing Ford news coverage.
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Both suck