Mercedes-Benz reveals electrifying plans for motorhome industry

“For us it is clear: the future is electric, also in the motorhome industry,” the confident claim of Klaus Rehkugler, head of sales and marketing at Mercedes-Benz Vans. The German automotive giant is already a well-known name in the world of motorhomes and campervans, with many of its models regularly used as base vehicles by companies around the world. But the future of the motorhome, much like that of the traditional combustion engine car, is not certain. Fossil fuels are under pressure and new, cleaner sources of fuel and energy are required in order to combat the environmental pressures the world is under. Mercedes-Benz is keenly aware of this and believes that electric vehicles have a strong future in the world of motorhomes. Klaus adds: “The motorhome market is of strategic importance to Mercedes-Benz Vans. We want to continue to grow here and play a pioneering role in terms of innovation and sustainability.”

Sortimo has it sorted

So, just how does it plan to do that? In short, the company is systematically electrifying all the models in its range, with one of the standouts being the EQV – the battery-electric driven counterpart to the V-Class mid-sized van. This van has already helped renowned converters such as Swiss company Sortimo Walter Rüegg to create a market-ready eCamper campervan. Sortimo’s conversion is modular and features options such as pop-up roof with roof bed, multifunction box with bed and kitchen unit. One of the standout features in the lightweight construction, which offers considerable advantages for an electric vehicle – every kilogram saved means greater range. Solar panels can be added to the Sortimo eCamper to help increase self-sufficiency as they charge both the starter battery and the auxiliary battery

The technical details

The EQV is available with two different battery variants: the EQV 300 with a 90 kWh battery and a range, of 326‑363 kilometres according to WLTP (electricity consumption according to NEDC combined: 27.1‑26.3 kWh/100 km; combined CO₂ emissions: 0 g/km) and the EQV 250 with a 60 kWh battery and a range1,2 of 213-236 kilometres according to WLTP (electricity consumption according to NEDC combined: 27.6-26.9 kWh/100 km; combined CO₂ emissions: 0 g/km)3. Both models are available in two lengths (long with 5140 cm or extra-long with 5370 cm). At the rapid charging station, for example, the EQV 300 charges from ten to 80 percent in about 45 minutes. In addition, the EQV is incorporated into an electric mobility eco-system consisting of intelligent navigation with active range management and cloud-based services and apps. The infotainment system MBUX (Mercedes‑Benz User Experience) serves as the central control unit.

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