Mercedes-Benz launches the Rolls-Royce of the minivan world — and the all-electric VLE promises a 'limousine-like ride'

• Mercedes-Benz says upcoming VLE will offer a "class-leading" EV range
• Huge battery equates to an impressive 435-mile range on a single charge
• Modular interior can seat up to eight people

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the vehicle that will replace its current EQV model and push its range of stylish, premium V-Class vans to the next level, with a strong choice of electric powertrains promised from launch.

The VLE will be the first model to ride on the German marque’s box fresh VAN.EA platform, which will go on to form the basis of a number of electric vans and commercial vehicles. It also promises an impressive 268bhp and a range of more than 435 miles in the debut VLE 300.

This luxurious people-mover will feature a frankly enormous 115kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery, while an 800V electrical architecture will allow for ultra-fast charging speeds, with Mercedes suggesting that 199 miles of range can be added in just 15 minutes.

Bi-directional charging will allow users to run or charge other electrical items from the van’s battery pack, as well as opening up the door to Vehicle-to-Grid compatibility.

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A more powerful, all-wheel-drive version, badged VLE 400, is due to arrive later in the year that will deliver 409bhp and a much faster 0-62mph sprint time of just 6.5 seconds, although there is currently no word on how that will affect max driving range.

The sleek, handsome van has been deliberately designed to be as streamlined and efficient as possible, borrowing learnings from the recent CLA to improve its drag-coefficient factor and optimize the way it uses energy from the battery packs to reduce the need for charging stops.

Analysis: Posh and practical? Sign me up

Not only is the upcoming a VLE a looker, it also manages to be both practical and extremely high-end on the inside.

It can be configured to house between five and eight passengers, with rear seats that slide on rails and can be removed completely to free up an impressive 4,078-liters of load space, according to Autocar.

What’s more, these seats feature built-in rollers, so they can easily be stored and moved around a garage when not in use. As someone that has to manually lug seats in and out of my aging Volkswagen Transporter to make room for broken motorcycles, this sounds like a godsend.

Customers wanting a more luxurious experience can specify electronically-adjustable seats, which slide and move at the touch of a button.

What’s more, there’s an optional 31.3‑inch, panoramic 8K display that uses split-screen functionality so rear occupants can watch separate shows or movies.

Mercedes says it also offers an eight-megapixel front-facing camera for joining video conferences, which sounds far less enjoyable.

The digitization continues up front, as the marque’s enormous MBUX Superscreen will also come as an option, which effectively sees a 26cm (10.25‑inch) driver display, a 35.6cm (14‑inch) central display, and a 35.6cm(14‑inch) screen for the front passenger take up the entirety of the dashboard.

There is currently no word on pricing, but seeing as the VLE looks to represent the final word in van-like luxury, it isn’t going to be cheap.

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