We rarely talk about commercial vehicles here at Razão Automóvel, and only today is the second time. Unlike the article I mentioned, the new Mercedes-Benz is a very real model. And it's worth talking about it for the news it announces.
Namely the fact that it is one of the first light commercial vehicles (LCV) 100% connected. It is the first model of the new Mercedes-Benz VCL family with the PRO Connect system, a solution that transfers to this type of vehicle the “internet of things”, which in the German brand takes the name of the adVance program.
What is adVance?
The objective of the “adVANce” program is to rethink mobility and take advantage of connected logistics opportunities. This approach will lead to the development of new products and services, allowing Mercedes-Benz to expand its business model beyond the “hardware” of a van.
Thanks to the Pro Connect system, it will be easier for fleet managers to collect information about the use of their vehicles and make it more profitable.
Not everything is connectivity...
That's why the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is available with more than 1,700 bodywork combinations — open cab, closed cab, fork, double wheel, single wheel, 3, 6 or 9 seater, rear wheel drive, front wheel drive or all wheel drive. Four engines can be associated with these types of bodywork.
There are three versions of the four-cylinder 2.1 liter diesel engine: 116, 146 and 163 horsepower. For companies that need more power in their activity, the 3.0 liter in-line six-cylinder engine with 190 hp and 440 Nm is available.
Still in the field of engines, the big news is the eSprinter, a 100% electric proposal, aimed at transporting goods in an urban environment — which will only reach the market in 2019.
As for the other versions — with a combustion engine — they can already be ordered, and the start of sales in the European market is scheduled for June 2019.