I've driven the new Mercedes VLE — and this limousine-like electric van made me rethink what a family car should be

Whether you've seen one drop a wealthy businessperson off at the airport or roll up to the red carpet to unload celebrities, the Mercedes-Benz V-Class has long been the vehicle of choice for transporting multiple people in the lap of luxury.

While previous generations have shared plenty with the commercial Vito, the V-Class has always looked to the opulent S-Class for inspiration rather than simply re-skinning a work van.

Now there's a new model in town and it's powered solely by batteries and electric motors. Mercedes thinks it's so classy that the company doesn't refer to it as a van or even an MPV, instead repeating the phrase Grand Limousine in its promotional materials.

It rides on an all-new platform and features an enormous 115 kWh NMC battery in the launch models, which offers more than 400 miles on the official WLTP cycle.

There's also the latest Mercedes-Benz infotainment system inside and a whole host of model derivatives that range from the more everyday to arguably the last word in automotive luxury.

Built for big miles

Despite their inherent everyday practicalities, the van and commercial vehicle market has been relatively slow to adopt electrification.

So far, there has been a smattering of models with the sort of electric range that's fine for last-mile delivery solutions, but becomes a bit of a pain when you actually want to cover some serious distance.

VW's ID Buzz is likely the big Merc's closest rival (if you discount the electric Transporter), but it doesn't feel as spacious or as luxuriously appointed inside. You also have the Kia PV5, which has been very well received, but that too lacks the premium finish.

Plus, you will struggle to achieve any sort of realistic road trip electric range out of both VW and Kia's offerings, with the real-world figure hovering around the 200-250 mile mark before plugging-in is required.

The slightly less powerful, single-motor VLE 300 can manage a claimed 435 miles between charging stops thanks to the presence of the largest 115 kWh battery pack and efficiency learnings from the CLA.

Granted, this is a much larger, brick-shaped object to push through the air, but Mercedes has rounded off as many edges as possible and enabled the air suspension to drop by 40mm at high speeds in search of aerodynamic performance.

Drive sensibly and I'm sure it won't be too hard to get close to those impressive claimed range figures.

Pair this with the ultra-fast 300 kW max charging speeds and you have a vehicle that is designed to go the distance on a regular basis. And boy, will the occupants be nice and comfortable.

The VLE measures over 5.3 meters in length and it's almost as wide as it is tall, offering plenty of head, leg and shoulder room inside. Seating options range from five to eight, with most of those able to be configured exactly how you like — depending on the version, that is…

Decision fatigue

Navigating the Mercedes VLE lineup isn't quite as relaxing as riding inside one, as there's the choice of either the aforementioned VLE 300 or the more powerful, dual-motor VLE 400 4Matic, which delivers 400 bhp for a 0-62 mph time of 6.5 seconds.

Add to that the options of an AMG Line vehicle, AMG Line Plus, Exclusive, Premium or Premium Plus, and it starts to get a little exhausting. Typically, offering plenty of choice is never a bad thing, but here, the trim levels drastically alter the way the VLE's interior feels.

I should give a shoutout to the Mercedes-AMG Monobloc-style alloy wheels that were fitted to a number of test cars, as they were pure class.

But for me, the more basic models make the most sense, as these include the absolutely magnificent Roll & Go seats. Here, all of the rear seats slide on built-in floor rails and can easily be removed — albeit with a little muscle, seeing as they weigh 27 kg each.

As someone who uses a van as a daily vehicle, the design of these seats is genius. Once out of the vehicle, they roll on a set of wheels, making them much easier to store.

I think many manufacturers underestimate how many owners purchase a van for its versatility.

One minute, they want to be transporting six rambunctious kids to a birthday party, and the next they need space for mountain bikes or surfboards. You can do all of that in a base VLE.

Step up the range and things start to get less practical and more lavish, with enormous leather thrones and even a full cinema setup available that sees an 8K, 31.3-inch widescreen display deployed from the headliner.

Press a button via one of the remotes in the rear and privacy curtains on the side windows raise automatically and sunshades block out any light streaming in from the large rear window.

Passengers up front are similarly spoiled in the digital department, with Mercedes' latest massive MBUX Superscreen able to span the entire width of the dash if you so wish.

Even the center console is up for personalization, with the option to have wireless charging pads for smartphones or a cavernous storage area that can keep drinks cool or even heat up a pastry.

Rides on a cloud

Not literally, but all models ride on the German marque's excellent air suspension, which does a fantastic job of wrangling the mass, disguising body roll (to a degree) and, more importantly, soaking up imperfections in the road.

Throw it into corners and, dynamically, it starts to come unstuck, but this isn't a vehicle designed for that, even if the 400 bhp offered by the VLE feels brisk enough to warrant a little exuberant driving.

Instead, it's beautifully quiet, refined and comfortable to drive in all environments. The rear-wheel steering even shrinks the 5.3-meter-long vehicle enough to navigate tight inner-city roads. Mercedes engineers say you can make a U-turn in the width of a tennis court, which isn't bad considering the mammoth footprint.

As you'd expect from the S-Class of the MPV world, there are myriad sound system options and the test cars fitted with the Burmester setup proved mightily impressive, filling the expansive interior with huge, perfectly defined audio.

Being an EV, there's nothing in the way of engine rumble creeping into the cabin, while wind and tire roar are almost non-existent. This is one of the most serene van experiences you're likely to have if, like me, you drive something altogether more agricultural on a daily basis.

A great drive, fantastic range, fast charging, a buttery smooth ride and truly practical interiors — there's very little to fault here… apart from the price.

Mercedes-Benz hasn't revealed official pricing yet, but the VLE is estimated to start at around £75,000 in the UK (around $100,000 / AU$144,000), which is to be expected, given the size of the battery and the amount of tech on tap.

Expect those figures to escalate quickly if you like your daily ride to resemble Emirates Airlines' First Class cabins, although a smaller 80 kWh LFP battery version that arrives next year should bring with it a more 'entry-level' Grand Limousine for the masses.

Let's hope so, because with this and Kia's impressive PV5 at the other end of the spectrum, folks like me who dig that #vanlife finally have a bit of choice when it comes time to ditch the fossil fuels.

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Leon has been navigating a world where automotive and tech collide for almost 20 years, reporting on everything from in-car entertainment to robotised manufacturing plants. Currently, EVs are the focus of his attentions, but give it a few years and it will be electric vertical take-off and landing craft. Outside of work hours, he can be found tinkering with distinctly analogue motorcycles, because electric motors are no replacement for an old Honda inline four.