Not that we want to rehash memories of the pandemic lockdown, but if there was one vehicle that exemplified that period, it would be the Sprinter cargo van. In Amazon livery, of course. This big box on wheels was last redesigned in 2019, just in time for, well, you know. For many, those Amazon vans were a lifeline and welcome sight rolling down their street, screechy reverse chime and all.
Last year saw some big changes to the Sprinter’s driveline, with a new four-cylinder diesel engine, nine-speed transmission, and all-wheel drive instead of four-wheel drive. As big as those revisions were, they’re nothing compared to the next act.
The 2024 Mercedes-Benz eSprinter goes without any of those driveline features, as it’s the all-electric version. Interested parties can order one now, with deliveries slated for the second half of the year, and it throws around some intriguing numbers. First off, the price.
It starts at $74,181 (including $2,295 in destination fees) for the standard 134-horsepower base model. The 201-hp high-output variant that we drove starts at $77,611. Torque is the same for both, at a maximum of 295 pound-feet for 30 seconds at a time. It’s rear-wheel-drive only and tops out at 75 mph.
These prices are for the 170-inch-wheelbase model with the high roof, but do not include the technically optional partition/wall that will be a mandatory add-on for early orders (it’s only $322 or $376 if you get one with a window). All will have a lithium-iron phosphate battery pack in the floor of the van, which means none of that environmentally and socially questionable cobalt in the mix. It’s rated at 113 kilowatt-hours of usable capacity.
