Electrification has caught up with one of Mercedes’ largest passenger car offerings, its V-Class people carrier. What you’re looking at here is called the EQV and according to Mercedes, it is the only vehicle of its type currently available on the market.

It’s not Mercedes’ first commercial-type vehicle that has gone all-electric, as it follows in the footsteps of the eVito and eSprinter models. But unlike those models which are not especially luxurious or sport a premium feeling, the EQV has a more posh vibe about it (and a lot more range than either of them).

What Mercedes has essentially done here is take a standard V-Class, remove its conventional front-mounted internal combustion engine and all of the accompanying ancillaries and replace them with a fully electric powertrain. The automaker seems quite proud of the fact that even though the V-Class was not designed as a pure-EV, it was still able to stow the vehicle’s battery pack in the floor.

This has two advantages: firstly, the EQV is just as cavernous inside and good at carrying passengers; batteries don’t take up any more space. Secondly, the vehicle’s center of gravity is kept low and thus, its on-road manners are still good. The standard V-Class is actually pretty good to drive for a vehicle its size, so it would have been a shame to compromise it by putting the lithium-ion battery pack in a place that upsets its balance.

Charging it from 10 percent all the way to 80 percent can be accomplished in under 45 minutes through the use of a fast charger. Mercedes estimates that the EQV uses electricity at a rate of 27 kWh/100km, but the real world figure will be higher. The Tesla Model S 100D, for instance, has a claimed consumption (based on the NEDC cycle) of 15 kWh/100km

The EQV’s electric motor is mounted on the front axle (the vehicle is front-wheel drive, the only V-Class-based model that isn’t rear- or all-wheel drive), it makes 150 kW (204 PS / 201 horsepower), and it has a peak torque figure of 362 Nm (267 pound-feet); its top speed is electronically limited to 160 km/h (99 mph), but no acceleration figure is mentioned. We estimate that it should still hit 100 km/h (62 mph) from naught in under 10 seconds.

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Up front, the standard V-Class grille has been replaced with one that is unique to the EQV, although the standard V-Class bumper has been retained. Inside the (full LED) headlights, the chrome design element present on the regular model has been replaced with a gloss black piece that has the same finish as the new black grille surround.

The charging port of the EQV is quite unusually positioned, accessed through a small door located on the left side of the front bumper; that’s not where the V-Class’s fuel filler cap is located.

Form the side, the EQV looks like your typical V-Class. The biggest giveaway that it’s something special are the unique 18-inch wheels that Mercedes says are not only lighter than any other V-Class rims, but they also help reduce drag. There are also discrete EQV badges with blue script below the front quarter lights, but these are less noticeable than the gloss black wheels.

The rear end is identical to that of any V-Class, solely distinguished by the EQV badging on the left side of the hatch. In fact, this is the only place where the vehicle’s full name, EQV 300, is displayed.

Inside the EQV, Mercedes has made some changes necessary to implement the electric powertrain. The driver can select the different driving modes through the new screen, as well as see “charging current, departure time, energy flow and consumption histogram. The media display can also be used to operate the navigation and Mercedes me Charge functions.”

Just like any V-Class model, the EQV offers seating for up to eight people (plus the driver) and buyers can configure the seating arrangement in a variety of ways that best suits their needs and desired purpose.

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The Mercedes EQV was previewed at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show by the Concept EQV and now the production version will be officially revealed to the public at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show that commences in one month’s time. It will start rolling off the production line at the Mercedes plant in Spain, where the automaker also assembles the regular V-Class and the Vito.

Mercedes EQV Specifications

CO2 emissions

0 g/km

Electrical combined

27.0 kWh/100 km (provisional figures)1

Range

405 km(provisional figures)1

Charging time at a Wallbox or at public charging stations (AC charging, 11 kW)

 < 10h

Charging time at a fast charging station (DC charging, 110 kW)

10-80 % SOC in < 45 min.

Drive system

Front-wheel drive

Output

150 kW (204 hp)

Peak torque

362 Nm

Top speed

160 km/h

Battery

Lithium-ion

Battery energy content (installed)

100 kWh

Battery energy capacity (usable)

90 kWh

Lengths:

5140 mm, 5370 mm

Wheelbases

3200 mm, 3430 mm

Luggage compartment (depending on equipment fitted)

1030 litres

GVW

3500 kg


Further reading

Read our full review on the 2019 Mercedes-Benz Concept EQV.

The Revised 2019 Mercedes-Benz V-Class is the Rolls-Royce of Passenger Vans