With its dimensions and its powerful yet quiet electric motor, the MPV is suitable for professionals who want a commercial vehicle that meets all their needs, while enjoying superior comfort at the same time. Plus, this more luxurious version of the eVito comes with the same favorable taxes, as well as a limited running cost.
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Flexible interior design
Like its combustion engine-powered counterpart, the V-Class, the EQV is available in several variants. For example, there is a choice of two wheelbase lengths of 3.2 or 3.43 meters for the long EQV (L2 – 5.14 meters) and the extra long EQV (L3 – 5.37 meters) respectively. Due to the flexible use of the seats and the bench seat, it is possible to choose the classic double cabin with 5 seats, or the versions with 6, 7 or even 8 seats.
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100 kWh
The car we were able to test for a week came with 7 seats, in a 2/3/2 configuration. What we noticed right away is that although the car has a large 100kWh battery, of which 90kWh can be used, the size of the battery has no effect on the available interior space. This is due to its incorporation into the soil.
The electric motor, as well as the technical components associated with it, are located in the front, under the hood, so that they do not pose any obstacle to the interior. Thus, the EQV is front-wheel drive, with an electric motor on the front axle. This is in contrast to the classic V-Class with the combustion engine, which is rear- or all-wheel drive. In terms of grip and control, we didn’t find this a drawback during testing, even during the extreme weather conditions we had to deal with.
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The performance offered by the EQV 300 is certainly enough to propel this spacious car forward in a fun way. The power of 150 kW (204 hp) and the generous torque of 362 Nm also ensure quick acceleration and a solid driving feel. The level of energy recovery can be easily adjusted using the paddles behind the steering wheel. By default, however, the EQV simply controls this itself, via an active ‘Auto’ mode, applying the ideal level of sensor-based energy recovery.
The real range is a minimum of 300 kilometers
With a usable battery capacity of 90kWh, the EQV 300 offers an official WLTP-compliant driving range of 355km, which we were able to approach without too much trouble during our week of testing. Despite the winter conditions during the test period, which are not ideal for electric driving, as well as several motorway trips we drove at a good and tolerable pace, we recorded a real average consumption of around 30kWh/100km. An impressive figure given the sheer size of this car. This consumption was measured while driving in “comfort” mode and keeping the cabin comfortably warm. Because of this combination of factors, our minimum effective range was 300 kilometers. However, if necessary, we can simply switch to the “maximum range” mode.
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my work
The EQV’s charging socket is integrated into the front bumper, which has proven practical during public charging. We have always stopped in front of a public charging point, and we have never had the problem that the public charging cable is not long enough. The EQV comes with an 11kW three-stage supercharger, which makes it possible to hit the full driving range home after about 10 hours.
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Fast and efficient charging
Mercedes specifies an official fast charging capacity of 110 kW DC, which we easily achieved during testing. When we started charging at 20% battery capacity, our car was already 35% charged in less than 9 minutes. After 40 minutes we reached 80% charge capacity.
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VIP experience
During testing, we really appreciated the comfort of the EQV 300. Our test model was equipped with the optional AIRMATIC air suspension, which not only provides a “lift” function to increase ground clearance when needed, but also provides very smooth handling. And the absence of the vibration and noise of diesel or petrol engines provides very pleasant acoustic comfort in everyday use. A true VIP experience. In addition, each passenger can have a comfortable seat and enough space.
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Well thought out procedures
Although we can talk about a commercial vehicle, the EQV’s equipment is more reminiscent of a premium passenger car. This is partly due to small, practical things taken into account, such as the separately opening rear window, which simplifies loading and unloading when space around the vehicle is limited.
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How much does it cost?
In the L2 version, the EQV is available from €82,153 inc. VAT or €67,895 excluding VAT. The longer L3 variant doesn’t cost much more. Here you are counting on a minimum of €83,006 including VAT or €68,600 excluding VAT.
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Our verdict
During the test, we found all the qualities and characteristics that we can expect from Mercedes-Benz. In addition, the EQV convinced us with its strong performance, combined with its smoothness and quietness, and this with a real power consumption of around 30 kW / 100 km, which is a good performance considering the large size.
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