In-depth reviews

Mercedes eSprinter review

The Mercedes eSprinter electric van offers plenty of cargo space, but it's limited by its short range and single bodystyle

Mercedes eSprinter
Overall rating

3.0 out of 5

Pros

  • Refinement
  • Lots of space
  • Plenty of options

Cons

  • Short range
  • Only one body style
  • Middling performance
Van typeRangeWallbox charge timeRapid charge time
Electric83 miles8hrs (0-100%, 7kW)30mins (10-80%, 80kW)*

*80kW charging is optional extra

The Mercedes eSprinter is a large fully electric van, aimed at businesses looking to reduce the running costs and emissions of their vehicle fleets. However, with rivals such as the Citroen e-Relay, Fiat e-Ducato, Peugeot e-Boxer and Renault Master E-TECH, there are plenty of options when it comes to battery-powered panel vans.

The fully electric eSprinter loses the diesel engine found in the standard Sprinter in favour of an electric motor producing 114bhp and 295Nm of torque, combined with a relatively small 55kWh battery.  As a result of its small motor, the sizeable eSprinter isn’t the quickest off the mark, although the electric powertrain makes for a quieter and more relaxing drive than the diesel model. The battery-powered Mercedes panel van glides smoothly and almost silently through city traffic. 

The battery isn’t that big considering the size of the van, either, although it’s a bit larger than the Mercedes eVito's 41kWh unit. As a result, the eSprinter’s range is just 83 miles, so it has a specific customer base in mind – businesses that do 'last-mile' deliveries over short distances but need a lot of carrying capacity. The eSprinter is a good option for city deliveries in particular.

There's only one body style because of the limited use case: the L2 H2 configuration that features a medium-length wheelbase and medium-height roof. Compared to a diesel Sprinter panel van, there’s no impact on carrying capacity, as the batteries are cleverly packaged under the floor. There's a single sliding side door, plus rear doors that open out to 270 degrees.

The eSprinter has 11 cubic metres of load space in the rear with a 3.4-metre cargo bay length. If you plan to make use of the maximum payload of 731kg, you can expect the maximum range figure to drop, as the motor has to work harder for every mile travelled.

Up front, there's a three-seat cabin with plenty of room and storage space throughout. It also features air-conditioning, a heated driver’s seat, automatic emergency braking and LED interior lighting as standard. Active braking assistance, emergency braking and attention assistance (which detects when the driver is tired) are standard-fit, too. The regular fabric seats are comfortable enough for a day of driving, although artificial leather and a comfort seat with an armrest and additional adjustment are available as optional extras.

The eSprinter is only available in Progressive trim, and prices start at around £52,000, excluding VAT. But don’t be put off by that seemingly high figure: the UK Government's plug-in van grant offers up to £5,000 off the list price, while Mercedes Vans offers free charging-point installation, subject to survey, for anyone buying an eSprinter.

The eSprinter also comes with a three-year warranty with no mileage limit, plus its battery is covered by an eight-year/160,000-kilometre guarantee. If the maximum battery capacity drops below 70% of its original design during the warranty period, Mercedes will repair or replace it free of charge. Overall, the Mercedes eSprinter is a very refined electric van but is limited by its short range and single choice of body style.

Richard is editor of DrivingElectric, as well as sister site Carbuyer.co.uk, and a regular contributor to Auto Express. An electric and hybrid car advocate, he spent more than five years working on the news and reviews desk at Auto Express and has driven almost every new car currently on sale.

Most Popular

Morgan Super3 XP-1 is an electric three-wheeler
Morgan XP-1 - front
News

Morgan Super3 XP-1 is an electric three-wheeler

Morgan’s latest prototype previews an all-electric version of its Super3 three-wheeler
6 Dec 2023
MINI Cooper Electric: pricing and specs for British-built electric supermini
MINI Cooper Electric - header
News

MINI Cooper Electric: pricing and specs for British-built electric supermini

MINI’s latest electric hatchback introduces a revolutionary interior design, as well as larger batteries to provide a 250-mile range
6 Dec 2023
Kia EV9 review: here’s why it’s our Car of the Year
Kia EV9 - front tracking
In-depth reviews

Kia EV9 review: here’s why it’s our Car of the Year

As posh as it is palatial, the Kia EV9 sets a new standard for large mainstream SUVs while offering a strong and accurate electric range to boot
11 Dec 2023

More on Sprinter

New electric vans arriving in 2023 and beyond
Ford E-Transit Custom
Coming soon

New electric vans arriving in 2023 and beyond

The electric van market has taken off in the last couple of years, with numerous new models now available and even more on the way…
3 Mar 2023
New Mercedes eSprinter electric van gets 248-mile range
New Mercedes eSprinter
News

New Mercedes eSprinter electric van gets 248-mile range

The second-generation eSprinter will arrive towards the the end of 2023 to rival the Ford E-Transit
9 Feb 2023
Mercedes eSprinter electric van: price and specifications
Mercedes eSprinter
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

Mercedes eSprinter electric van: price and specifications

New Mercedes eSprinter van offered in Progressive trim only, priced from £43,950 after grant and excluding VAT
11 Mar 2021