German luxury car maker Mercedes Benz has unveiled the electric VLE which is a premium grand limousine-style van built on the company’s newly developed Van Architecture, the VLE blends limousine-like comfort with the versatility and space of an MPV. The company has also introduced advanced digital technology, long-range, and a highly flexible interior layout.
The VLE marks the first vehicle based on the modular and scalable Van Architecture which will lead the future electric vans from the German automaker. The architecture blends luxury, practicality, and advanced software.
Exterior and Design
In terms of exterior and design, the VLE has adopted an entirely new design language. The electric van features a low, streamlined silhouette, long wheelbase, and a flowing roofline that tapers into a rounded rear section.
The EV has a drag coefficient of 0.25 which makes it one of the aerodynamic vehicles in its class. The front profile features a redesigned illuminated grille with a light bar connecting the headlamps, along with star-shaped DRLs and Digital Light technology.
The rear side of the EV features an arc-shaped taillamps integrated into the spoiler with a full-width light signature forming an inverted “U”
Interior and Cabin
In terms of interior and cabin, the EV mainly focuses on versatility and luxury. The van can be configured with five to eight seats which are spread across three rows.
The van offers three different kinds of rear seats, i.e, comfort seat (manual), premium comfort seats (electric), and grand comfort seat (electric). The grand comfort seat consist of features such as massage, lumber support, calf support, wireless charging, and an additional pillow.
The car has a cargo capacity of 795 liters with all the seats installed whereas after removing the rear seats the storage space increased to 4,078 litres.
The EV also features a panoramic roof, a large fixed glass panel, extending from the B-pillar to the rear profile of the van. The dashboard consist of three displays
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10.25-inch driver display
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14-inch central infotainment screen
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14-inch passenger display
The system runs on high-performance processors and uses graphics powered by the Unity Game Engine. The rear passengers get a cinema experience with a 31.3-inch retractable panoramic display hidden in the headliner.
The screen offers
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8K resolution
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Split screen functionality
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Integrated 8MP camera for video calling
The car also comes with integrated AI technologies including ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Bing
Powertrain and Range
The VLE lineup consists of two variants i.e., VLE 300 electric and VLE 400 4MATIC electric. The VLE 300 generates 276bhp while the VLE 400 4MATIC generates over 408bhp and accelerates from 0-100kmph in just 6.5 seconds.
Both the variant offers a 115kWh battery using new NMC cell chemistry and offer a WLTP range exceeding 700Km.
Syed Ziyauddin is a media and international relations enthusiast with a strong academic and professional foundation. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Media from Jamia Millia Islamia and a Master’s in International Relations (West Asia) from the same institution.
He has work with organizations like ANN Media, TV9 Bharatvarsh, NDTV and Centre for Discourse, Fusion, and Analysis (CDFA) his core interest includes Tech, Auto and global affairs.
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