Mercedes-Benz is giving a sneak peek of an electric van concept that the automaker says is “near series production” ready and is among the models it is adding to broaden its battery-powered range over the next year.
The electric iteration of the Mercedes T-Class, dubbed EQT, will accommodate up to seven passengers and launch in 2022, Mercedes said in a statement released Monday.
It will flank the Citan commercial van due to be introduced later this year, a version of which will be full electric.
The EQT “will appeal to families and all those private customers, whatever their age, who enjoy leisure activities and need a lot of space and maximum variability without forgoing comfort and style,” Marcus Breitschwerdt, Mercedes’ van chief, said in the statement.
The brand plans to build eight full EVs on three continents next year to take on Tesla and keep rivals including BMW at bay.
The EQT will compete with vehicles such as the full-electric variant of Volkswagen’s Microbus, the ID Buzz, that is slated to reach showrooms in 2023.
The EQT design concept features 21-inch light-alloy wheels and sliding doors on both sides to allow access to the third row of seats. An electric longboard stored in a compartment fitted with a plexiglass lid will appeal to fans of gadgets and outdoor activities.
Mercedes’ van operations must brace for increased investor scrutiny after Daimler completes a planned spinoff of its heavy-truck operations later this year. The division has been prone to big earnings swings in recent years and will remain part of the main Mercedes car operation, which focuses on luxury vehicles that generate strong returns.
The van division’s efforts to share development costs through joint-vehicle projects with Renault and Nissan have largely failed. Mercedes culled the X-Class pickup that was based on the Nissan Navara due to poor sales, and customers were disappointed by the mediocre quality of the Citan small van that shared components with Renault.
Nissan last week joined Renault in selling its small stake in Daimler, which was acquired about a decade ago to cement their collaboration.