• Long-distance comfort redefined: top-tier efficiency, a range of over 700 kilometers (WLTP), 800-volt technology, and up to 355 kilometers of range added in just 15 minutes
• Exceptional ride comfort: AIRMATIC air suspension with automatic ride-height adjustment
• Effortless urban agility: a tight 10.9-meter turning circle thanks to rear-axle steering
• A grand space limousine ready for advanced Level 2 functionality: MB.DRIVE ASSIST PRO enables assisted driving, even in heavy urban traffic
• Infotainment is more immersive than ever thanks to MB.OS and the MBUX Rear Space Experience
• Starting in 2027, a long-wheelbase version will be available, offering even more interior space

With the new electric VLE, Mercedes-Benz creates a segment of its own. It is the first grand space limousine, masterfully combining the best of two worlds: the versatility and space of an MPV with the agility and ride comfort of a Mercedes-Benz limousine. Thanks to the innovative Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS), the VLE stays continuously updated through over-the-air updates and is technically prepared for SAE Level 2 advanced driving assistance.

In the city, it moves and parks with the agility of a compact car, while on long distances it drives with the serenity of a true premium limousine. The VLE also sets new benchmarks in electric efficiency, consuming under 20 kWh per 100 kilometers roughly the equivalent of two liters of diesel. With a range of over 700 kilometers (WLTP) and 355 kilometers of range restored in 15 minutes, even long trips become effortless.

Mercedes-Benz VLE 300 electric | combined energy consumption: 20.7–18.4 kWh/100 km | combined CO₂ emissions: 0 g/km | CO₂ class: A
Mercedes-Benz VLE 400 4MATIC electric | provisional values: combined energy consumption: 21.9–20.3 kWh/100 km | combined CO₂ emissions: 0 g/km | CO₂ class: A

Space and flexibility

With room for up to eight adults on full-size, highly flexible seats, the VLE adapts to any journey. Manually operated seats feature four integrated wheels and can be easily moved forward and back, locked in any position, quickly removed, or via the Roll & Go function rolled away into the garage. Electrically adjustable seats can be repositioned via the app or the central unit using the Remote Variable Rear Space feature, while rear passengers can also adjust their own seats individually using dedicated controls.

At 5,309 mm long with three rows of seats, the VLE offers nearly 800 liters of cargo volume; with all manually operated seats removed, available space reaches up to 4,078 liters. In 2027, a longer version (5,484 mm total length) will offer even more interior space.

“With the new VLE, we are redefining electric mobility for families, companies, and leisure-active customers. The grand space limousine for up to eight people is exceptionally spacious, intelligent, efficient, and offers impressive agility as well as long-distance comfort. The VLE is designed perfectly around customers’ real needs and developed to exceed their expectations,” said Thomas Klein, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans.

“The new electric VLE is a true gamechanger. With seven-degree rear-axle steering and AIRMATIC air suspension, it maneuvers like a compact car and drives like a premium limousine. And with a range of over 700 kilometers (WLTP) and up to 355 kilometers restored in 15 minutes, the VLE redefines what everyday electric mobility can mean for a vehicle of this size,” said Andreas Zygan, Head of Development, Mercedes-Benz Vans.

Performance and charging

The first model launching is the 203 kW VLE 300 electric, with a WLTP range of over 700 kilometers and a permanent-magnet synchronous motor (PSM) driving the front axle. Later this year, the 310 kW VLE 400 4MATIC electric will follow as the range’s top performance version with an additional powerful rear electric motor, it accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 6.5 seconds. Both models feature a new NMC battery with a usable capacity of 115 kWh. Next year, two LFP (lithium iron phosphate) battery versions with an 80 kWh usable capacity will follow. Thanks to 800-volt technology, the VLE can charge at over 300 kW, adding up to 355 kilometers of range in just 15 minutes.

Ride comfort and agility

AIRMATIC air suspension maintains constant ground clearance regardless of load, with each wheel damped independently for a remarkably smooth ride. At speeds above 110 km/h, the system automatically lowers the vehicle by 15 mm to reduce drag, increase range, and improve ride stability; in Sport mode, drivers can manually lower the ride height by 15 mm. When parked, the vehicle can be lowered by 40 mm for easier access, and raised by 40 mm on unpaved roads for extra clearance now also adjustable via voice command (“Lower vehicle level”).

Thanks to rear-axle steering with a turning angle of up to seven degrees, the VLE offers impressive stability at high speeds while also reducing the turning circle (measured curb-to-curb) by two meters, down to just 10.9 meters comparable to the Mercedes-Benz CLA and tight enough to turn within a tennis court.

Digital intelligence

Powered by the AI-based MB.OS, the VLE features the latest generation of MBUX with intuitive, personalized control, along with the MBUX Virtual Assistant, which uses multi-agent generative AI to understand complex conversations with memory and respond like a well-informed friend. Over-the-air updates keep the VLE current, adding new features without requiring a visit to a service center.

A retractable 79 cm (31.3-inch) panoramic 8K screen is hidden in the roof above the front seats, featuring split-screen functionality and an 8-megapixel camera, ideal for movies, music videos, gaming, or video conferencing. The optional Burmester® 3D Surround Sound system offers 22 speakers with Dolby Atmos technology. Mercedes-Benz’s growing infotainment portfolio offers over 40 apps, including music streaming, video conferencing, platforms like Disney+ and Sony Pictures Entertainment’s RIDEVU, and a wide selection of triple-A video games via the Boosteroid cloud gaming service.

The optional floating-design MBUX Superscreen spans the full width of the interior with three displays behind a single glass surface: a 26 cm (10.25-inch) driver display, a 35.6 cm (14-inch) central display, and an optional 35.6 cm (14-inch) screen for the front passenger. An optional augmented-reality head-up display projects a virtual 58.7 cm (23.1-inch) image that appears to float roughly four meters ahead of the vehicle.

Comfort and customization

The VLE features an electric sliding door on each side, with optional HANDS-FREE access particularly useful on narrow streets. The doors have fully retractable windows and intelligent obstacle-detection stop mechanisms. A separately opening rear window facilitates loading and unloading; an optional EASY-PACK electric tailgate is also available.

Seating configurations range from five to eight seats. Customers can choose between three newly developed individual rear seat types: the manual Comfort Seat, the electric Premium Comfort Seat, and the electric Grand Comfort Seat the latter featuring an extra cushion, wireless charging, lumbar support with massage function, and a leg rest. Two comfort three-seat benches (electric or manual) are also available.

Three climate control systems ensure a pleasant temperature within minutes, in any climate from +35°C in Dubai to -10°C in Norway.

The Remote Variable Rear Space feature allows all electrically adjustable seats to be repositioned via the infotainment system, door-integrated controls, or the Mercedes-Benz app, with four preset configurations: Baggage (maximizes cargo space), Executive (maximizes legroom in the first rear row for VIP transfers), People & Baggage (balanced cargo and legroom comparable to the E-Class), and Standard.

Customers can choose from four trim lines (standard, AMG Line, AMG Line Plus, EXCLUSIVE) and four optional equipment packages (Advanced, Advanced Plus, Premium, Premium Plus), along with alloy wheels from 19 to 22 inches and three different center console options including a premium console with temperature-controlled compartments, UV disinfection, and an AIR-BALANCE fragrance generator.

With a braked towing capacity of up to 2.5 tonnes and a 100 kg vertical load on the tow hook, the VLE can tow caravans, boats, or trailers, and carry e-bikes on a suitable rack. ESP® trailer stabilization and Trailer Manoeuvring Assist support safer towing.

Driving assistance and safety

The VLE is equipped with 10 external cameras, five radar sensors, 12 ultrasonic sensors, and a water-cooled supercomputer processor running on MB.OS, capable of up to 254 trillion operations per second. MB.DRIVE ASSIST PRO enables assisted driving even in heavy urban traffic.

Standard MB.DRIVE features include a reversing camera, Distance Assist DISTRONIC, lane-keeping assist, Manoeuvring Assist, and Evasive Steering Function Plus. Optional MB.DRIVE ASSIST packages add Steering Assist and Lane Change Assist (activated with a simple tap of the indicator stalk).

MB.DRIVE PARKING ASSIST detects parking spaces including unmarked ones and, for the first time, diagonal spaces on both sides of the vehicle, assists with exiting parking spaces, and can now park at speeds of up to 5 km/h. MB.DRIVE PARKING ASSIST 360 adds a 360-degree camera view and a 3D surround display showing real-time vehicle states (brake lights, indicators, open doors, folded mirrors, and wheel angle). Additional digital extras include a “Rim Protection Warning” and a “Reverse Manoeuvring Function” that can reverse the vehicle along its previous path for up to 150 meters under certain conditions.

Safety features include PRE-SAFE®, deformation zones, a rigid passenger cell, up to 11 airbags, adjustable headrests, and seatbelts with pretensioners and force limiters on all outer seats, front and rear.

Design

The new Van Architecture enables a completely new design with a low, aerodynamic silhouette and a drag coefficient of just 0.25. The front is defined by a reinterpreted, brand-defining grille that depending on the trim line can include an illuminated frame, a continuous light band connecting the headlights, star-shaped daytime running lights with DIGITAL LIGHT, and a vertical or integrated star emblem. Arc-shaped taillights are integrated into the spoiler lip, with a light band framing the rear like an inverted U.

Inside, the standout feature is the Sky View panoramic glass roof a single-piece fixed glass panel stretching uninterrupted from the B-pillar to the rear, enhanced by ambient lighting and fitted with an electric sunshade, like all rear windows including the separately opening tailgate glass. Ambient lighting plays a central role throughout the VLE, from the cockpit to the third row, combined with furniture-inspired interior styling and extensive personalization options to create a unique wraparound effect.