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Mercedes-Benz unveils all-new eSprinter to take on Ford’s E-Transit
Mercedes-Benz unveiled its all-new eSprinter electric van today, which the German automaker pledges is its most efficient eVan yet.
It will take on the Ford E-Transit, which has widely dominated the all-electric sprinter market with only a handful of worthy competitors.
With plans to build the vehicle in North America and Europe, Mercedes-Benz said it would be its most efficient and versatile eVan. It will be the first time American customers can utilize a Mercedes-Benz eVan to make their fleets more sustainable.
Packing up to 400 kilometers (248.5 miles) of WLTP range based on simulations, Mercedes said its city cycle tests performed even better, with the eSprinter getting 500 kilometers (~311 miles) on a single charge.
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- Credit: Mercedes-Benz
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- Der neue Mercedes-Benz eSprinter // The new Mercedes-Benz eSprinter
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- Der neue Mercedes-Benz eSprinter // The new Mercedes-Benz eSprinter
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- Der neue Mercedes-Benz eSprinter // The new Mercedes-Benz eSprinter
It has 488 cubic feet of load capacity, with a permissible gross weight of 4.25 tons.
“With the new eSprinter, we are taking the electric large van segment to a new level,” Mathias Geisen, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans. “The triad of efficiency, range, and load capacity with simultaneous TCO optimization makes the new eSprinter the most versatile Mercedes-Benz eVan ever.”
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- Der neue Mercedes-Benz eSprinter // The new Mercedes-Benz eSprinter
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- Der neue Mercedes-Benz eSprinter // The new Mercedes-Benz eSprinter
With versatility and technical innovations taking precedence, Mercedes-Benz said the new eSprinter would feature three modules, part of a new concept idea the automaker developed with consumers in mind. The modules will allow freedom in the development and design of various conversion paths, as not all eSprinter vans will be used for the same applications.
The three-module system is broken down into a front, battery housing, and rear, specifically responsible for the electrically driven rear axle:
“The front module, a uniformly designed front section, includes all high-voltage components and can be combined unchanged with all vehicle variants, regardless of wheelbase and battery size. The module for the integrated high-voltage battery is located in the underbody to save space. The battery location between the axles, together with the robust battery housing, results in a low center of gravity, which has a positive influence on handling and increases driving safety. The third pillar of the modular design is the rear module with the electrically driven rear axle. Following the principle of the common parts strategy, this is used in all variants of the all-new eSprinter. The compact and powerful electric motor is also integrated into the rear module.”
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- Der neue Mercedes-Benz eSprinter // The new Mercedes-Benz eSprinter
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- Der neue Mercedes-Benz eSprinter // The new Mercedes-Benz eSprinter
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- Der neue Mercedes-Benz eSprinter // The new Mercedes-Benz eSprinter
Mercedes-Benz plans to utilize LFP, or lithium-iron-phosphate battery cell chemistries, in the eSprinter pack, which is free of cobalt and nickel but offers less power and range than others. It will pack 113-kilowatt hours of usable capacity and can be charged at speeds of 115 kW, getting batteries from 10 to 80 percent in about 42 minutes. The eSprinter is capable of both AC and DC charging.
The all-new eSprinter will also utilize the Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX), which packs numerous features and services to promote ease of access and usability.
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- Der neue Mercedes-Benz eSprinter // The new Mercedes-Benz eSprinter
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- Der neue Mercedes-Benz eSprinter // The new Mercedes-Benz eSprinter
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- Der neue Mercedes-Benz eSprinter // The new Mercedes-Benz eSprinter
These include real-time range estimates based on current traffic conditions and route topography. It will also show drivers the best charging strategy route to promote less travel time, and voice control functions.
Mercedes-Benz has invested around €350 million ($373,807,000) in the eSprinter project, with around €50 million ($53,401,000) going toward “each of the three plants in Charleston, Düsseldorf, and Ludwigsfelde to adapt their production.”
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All vans Mercedes-Benz releases from 2025 on will be all-electric as a part of its holistic approach to transition to a fully-electric lineup.
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Tesla has started to deploy the 2026 Summer Update to owners across its fleet, and among the biggest changes are improvements to Navigation, a new startup animation for the Model 3 and Model Y, Caraoke scoring, and new capabilities for Grok.
As the update has started making its way to some cars, we can now see a few of the features operating in real-time. We will show you what some of the new features look like in this article, along with some additional details on what changed.
Not all of the new features in the 2026 Summer Update have quite made an appearance, but some of them have, so we’ll show those here:
New Animation Screen for 3/Y
Tesla is rolling out a new startup animation for Tesla Model 3 and Model Y owners. This is present in Launch Edition and Performance Model 3 and Model Y, but other trim levels do not have anything like this.
The new animation screen on Model 3/Y with the 2026 Summer Update
Apparently color will also be customizable: pic.twitter.com/wSdwggtG3S
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) July 27, 2026
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Owners can adjust the color associated with the startup animation to suit their preferences. It is a surprise that more automakers do not focus on this animation for their vehicles; it can be a great first impression piece and make the car immediately feel more luxurious.
Tesla has included this on more premium trims, but it is nice to see it on the Model 3 and Model Y.
Grok Improvements
Grok can now adjust more things in the car outside of the Navigation system. Now, drivers can adjust anything from climate to driving settings by simply speaking to the AI assistant in the car:
@Tesla‘s AI assistant (Grok) with its new vehicle commands in action.
Set the climate, your destination and vehicle settings all in one go! pic.twitter.com/0bBTqaAk6G
— Not a Tesla App (@NotATeslaApp) July 28, 2026
You don’t even have to push a button, either. Instead, you can just say “Hey, Grok,” if you have it enabled. That feature rolled out with the 2026 Spring Update just a few months back.
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This is a great feature, especially pertinent for the Robotaxi platform, as there will be no buttons inside the Cybercab when it eventually starts giving rides to the public. It also broadens Grok’s capabilities, which were relatively limited in terms of vehicle setting adjustments beforehand.
Tesla briefly offered one Robotaxi part in its Parts Catalog for your personal car, only to remove it just a short time after it was first noticed.
Tesla’s Robotaxi camera washer apparatus was briefly available for purchase on the company’s Online Parts Catalog. The camera washer was first noticed on Model Y Robotaxi vehicles about six months ago in Austin.
🚨 Tesla looks to have installed Camera Washers on the side repeater cameras on Robotaxis in Austin
pic.twitter.com/xemRtDtlRR— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) January 23, 2026
First noticed by Not a Tesla App, the Camera Washer entries appeared for the new “Juniper” Model Y under a category called “Halo,” which has also now disappeared. Interestingly, Halo probably is related to Tesla’s internal “Project Halo,” which was a project that aimed to retrofit customer-owned Model Ys into functional Robotaxis.
This hardware addition would likely be required for the vehicle to operate as a Robotaxi, as the Camera Washer seems to be a non-negotiable part of the vision-based system Tesla utilizes for self-driving efforts.
However, this part has since been removed and is no longer visible on the EPC.
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Now the true question lingers: Why would Tesla add this Camera Washer to the Model Y parts catalog? Is it planning to make it available for owners to utilize on their own cars for personal use, or will it become a prerequisite for Robotaxi operation in customer-owned cars?
While discussing the upgrade options for Hardware 3 vehicles during the Q1 Earnings Call, Tesla CEO Elon Musk had said that the company could establish small, satellite shops that would upgrade cameras and self-driving computers. Perhaps this same strategy could be utilized for vehicles that want to be included in Robotaxi but do not have the correct hardware.
AI4 is currently represented as capable of unsupervised self-driving, and the same was said about HW3 at one point, only for Tesla to admit last quarter that it would, unfortunately, not be possible. Perhaps AI4 vehicles might need this camera washer as a prerequisite, just as HW3 cars will need that camera and computer upgrade.
This could be the first hint of that’s where we are headed.
Tesla has started rolling out a broader change to the ride experience for its Robotaxi fleet by silencing turn signals, but the change is certainly polarizing.
Tesla has generally made it clear that its purpose-built ride-hailing platform, Robotaxi, will cater to the rider in nearly every way possible. This includes having climate preferences, music, and other personal settings loaded up in the car as the rider enters.
But Tesla is taking it a step further by muting turn signal chimes altogether, a change that appears to be a way to make the ride more peaceful:
Tesla has finally turned off the blinker/turn signal noises in their Model Y Robotaxis.
This is a small update, but will definitely be noticeable for riders. It didn’t really make much sense to leave the turn signal sound on when it’s Unsupervised. pic.twitter.com/ITwx60PAMO
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) July 27, 2026
However, there are a handful of people who are not thrilled about this change. Turn signals are a conditioned part of the human mind for those who ride in a car regularly.
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Taking a turn without one feels strange and odd, and not hearing it click while activated could set off some alarms for riders, who might use the noise as confirmation that other drivers know of their intention to turn.
I kind of like it being on, threw me off when riding with Zoox who has had it disabled
— Dan Burkland (@DBurkland) July 27, 2026
Turn signal noises are still audible in customer cars, so if you use FSD in your personal vehicle, you will still hear the turn signal.
The move is certainly one that is unique, but not one that separates it from other ride-sharing services. In a normal car, the clicking sound confirms to the driver that the blinker is active. In a fully driverless Robotaxi, that feedback serves no purpose for passengers, other than peace of mind.
Tesla Summer Update begins rolling out: a look at the new features
Tesla briefly offered this Robotaxi part for your personal car
