Mercedes-Benz plans to bring an electric commercial van to the U.S. as early as the third quarter of 2023, according to people familiar with the matter.
The German automaker began selling the eSprinter, a battery-powered version of the boxy Sprinter van, in Europe this year. Mercedes has hesitated to bring the EV to the U.S. because of its limited driving range and the high cost of homologation.
But the competitive landscape is changing. Emerging demand for electric delivery vans from logistics companies, tightening emissions regulation and new products from competitors are spurring Mercedes to bring the eSprinter to the automaker's second-largest market, the people said.