Three months after its world premiere, series production of the all-electric VLE officially kicked off at Mercedes’ plant in Vitoria, Spain. The occasion was deemed important enough to bring the company’s CEO out on site.
Ola Källenius, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, attended the production launch ceremony alongside Thomas Klein, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans.
They were joined by Jordi Hereu, Spain’s Minister for Industry and Tourism, and Imanol Pradales, Acting President of the Basque Country. That’s quite an esteemed guest list for a routine factory event.
But then again, the VLE is the first vehicle built on the VAN.EA electric van platform. For Mercedes, the stakes are high.
Extensive overhaul
The Vitoria facility has a longer history than many people realize. Founded in 1954 as part of Auto-Union, it became a Mercedes-Benz plant in 1981. It currently employs around 5,000 people and sits at the heart of the Basque Country’s industrial base.
To prepare for VLE production, the factory underwent one of the most extensive overhauls in its history. New body shop, paint shop, and assembly facilities were built from the ground up. Logistics and IT infrastructure were readdressed to meet the VAN’s demands—specifically the EA platform.
“With the VLE, the Vitoria site is, for the first time, manufacturing a vehicle based on the newly developed, modular and scalable Van Architecture.
In the future, this architecture will form the technological basis for the entire Mercedes-Benz Vans product portfolio”, says Mercedes. The plant now builds the VLE, V-Class, Vito, and eVito on that same line.
“Great pride”
Pre-series production began in September 2025, allowing the team to fine-tune logistics and manufacturing processes before the full ramp-up.
“The start of series production of the VLE fills me with great pride,” said plant manager Bernd Krottmayer. “The successful transformation of our plant and the series ramp-up are the result of the daily commitment of our employees.”
Since April, buyers have been able to order the VLE without a test drive. In Belgium, the VLE 300 (L1) starts at €76,508. More affordable variants – closer to €70,000 – are expected to follow with the arrival of the entry-level VLE 250.
Given its size and premium character, Mercedes is going after private buyers who, until now, found the old EQV’s range and charging performance were too limiting. But, of course, shuttle fleets, hotels, and business users who need flexibility at scale are also on the list.
Three variants
The VLE is the direct successor to both the V-Class and the EQV, and the first production model on Mercedes-Benz Vans’ new VAN.EA platform. It is positioned at the E-Class equipment level – hence the ‘E’ in the name. A more luxurious VLS will also follow, as the S-Class equivalent of the lineup.
Three variants are offered at launch. The VLE 250 uses an 80 kWh LFP battery with up to 300 kW DC charging and primarily targets business and fleet customers.
The VLE 300 and VLE 400 4MATIC both use a 115 kWh NMC battery on an 800-volt architecture with up to 320 kW DC charging, delivering over 700 km of WLTP range. A 15-minute charge adds 355 km to your range, which theoretically gets you 1,000 km in a day with a single stop.
“Seat ballet”
The van measures at least 5.31 meters long with a 3.34-meter wheelbase – and thanks to all-wheel steering, its turning circle is just 10.9 meters. Drag coefficient is 0.25, which is genuinely impressive for a vehicle this size.
Seats come in six-, seven-, or eight-seat configurations, with up to 4,078 liters of cargo space when all rear seats are removed. The VLE 400 4MATIC can also tow up to 2.5 tonnes.
Last but not least, bidirectional charging (V2H and V2G) is part of the VLE’s feature set, though Mercedes has confirmed it is not yet available in Belgium.
A heat pump is standard. And if you want to rearrange the rear seats from your sofa before you leave the house, the app-controlled “seat ballet” has you covered.
