New Mercedes Concept EQT previews upcoming electric van

This is the new Mercedes Idea EQT. It’s a preview of the brand’s forthcoming compact electric leisure van, which will be exposed future year as an all-electric member of the new T-Course variety. 

Mercedes says the Idea EQT is a shut illustration of the eventual creation design, with a structure that introduces a “premium” ingredient which the manufacturer thinks is missing from the leisure activity vehicle phase.

It’ll share most of its styling and underpinnings with the impending T-Course MPV, which is thanks to go on sale future year, powered by a variety of petrol and diesel engines. Each vans will be based mostly on a platform borrowed from the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, that means both of those need to have the similar proportions.

Mercedes has verified the Idea EQT steps 4,945mm extended, 1,863mm huge and 1,826mm tall, which is a little bit much larger than the most current Volkswagen Caddy. The manufacturer also has a routine of manufacturing creation-precise strategy cars and trucks, so we assume these measurements will be quite a lot identical on the completed design.

The strategy shares the similar sleek front finish as the rest of Mercedes EQ variety, with slender headlamps and a broad radiator grille. Toward the back again, there is a entire-width light-weight bar and two sliding rear doorways that are huge sufficient to permit occupants simple access to the 3rd row.

Even so, as it’s nonetheless a prototype, the EQT has the common variety of strategy car touches. In the boot, for illustration, there is a “last mile” electric longboard which is built to get the driver to their final desired destination at the time the van is parked. The unusual bottle-formed panoramic sunroof and monumental 21-inch alloy wheels will also very likely be ditched for the creation design.

Inside, the concept’s seats are trimmed in white Nappa leather-based upholstery. Three Isofix factors are observed in the 2nd seating row, whilst there is also an ambient lights technique and the infotainment monitor.

The touchscreen has an synthetic intelligence programme which learns the motorists patterns and automates them. For illustration, if the driver regularly phone calls somebody on Fridays on their way household from function, the technique will exhibit that contact’s mobile phone amount on the monitor at the ritual hour. The technique also has live site visitors information and facts and more than-the-air updates.

Mercedes hasn’t launched any technological specifications for the Idea EQT but, as it shares the similar underpinnings as the 3rd-generation Renault Kangoo ZE, we assume it’ll characteristic a comparable battery pack and motor configuration.

The pure-electric Kangoo functions an electric motor mounted on the front axle, with an output of 100bhp and 245Nm of torque. It’s powered by a 44kWh battery, which Renault says has a WLTP-confirmed variety of 159 miles. Charging at 75kW is also feasible.

Test out our list of the very best electric vans on sale here…