Mercedes-Benz Vans strategy.

Mercedes-Benz Vans has extensively shaped the van market worldwide since the very beginning. As part of the Mercedes-Benz brand family, the division continuously sharpens its profile as a supplier of future-oriented transport solutions for commercial and private customers. Vans in the private segment are aligned with the strategy of Mercedes-Benz Cars, while commercial vans are marketed within the framework of a premium strategy.

Mercedes-Benz Vans strives for the highest quality, reliability and sustainability in both the commercial and private sectors. A key element of the strategy is the increased focus on high-sales and high-margin markets and segments. In parallel with the expansion of its activities in Europe, the division also intends to further intensify its efforts in China and North America. In addition, Mercedes-Benz Vans plans to focus more strongly on the growing premium segments in the most profitable sectors and to enter into attractive segments at the upper end of the portfolio through partnerships with body builders.

Mercedes-Benz Vans intends to ensure its profitability at a high level by means of a modified business model for sales and a customer-focused service portfolio. The focus here will be on pushing direct sales in order to reduce selling expenses. With regard to the new-vehicle business, Mercedes-Benz Vans is increasingly making use of online sales channels. This involves using the existing Mercedes-Benz Cars Online Store platform and expanding it to include van-specific features. For example, fleet customers will be able to place repeat orders quickly and easily directly online.

Another goal is to generate additional revenue potential along all customer contact points: from consulting to sales of vehicles to after-sales services.

With the eCitan, EQT (energy consumption combined: 20.9–19.3 kWh/100 km | CO₂ emissions combined: 0 g/km | CO₂ class: A), eVito, eVito Tourer, EQV and eSprinter, Mercedes-Benz Vans has been offering allelectric vehicles across its portfolio since 2023. With the market launch of the new, even more versatile eSprinter in 2024, the existing product portfolio was further updated. In order to flexibly fulfil customer requirements, Mercedes-Benz Vans is planning to offer vans with state-of-the-art combustion engines on a single architecture in addition to electric vehicles. All newly developed vans are to be based on the modular, flexible and scalable Mercedes-Benz Van Architecture in future. The plan is to introduce the all-electric models of the Van Electric Architecture (VAN.EA) from 2026. With the second variant of the architecture, the Van Combustion Architecture (VAN.CA), state-of-theart combustion-engine vans are planned to follow.

In the future, the MB.OS operating system developed by Mercedes-Benz will also be used in the vans from Mercedes-Benz and in the vehicles based on the new Van Architecture. Mercedes-Benz Vans expects that MB.OS will also enable it to quickly expand and optimize its digital extras and services. The operating system will also serve as the basis for the development of automated driving functions. Based on MB.OS and its technical capabilities, Mercedes-Benz Vans aims to achieve conditional driving automation according to SAE Level 3¹ for private customers by the end of the decade. For the commercial segment, Mercedes-Benz Vans aims to achieve highly automated driving according to SAE Level 4² by the end of the decade in order to tap into the business potential of driverless transport.

¹ SAE Level 3: The automated driving function takes over certain driving tasks. However, a driver is still required. The driver must be ready to take control of the vehicle at all times when prompted to intervene by the vehicle.

² SAE Level 4 stands for highly automated driving and describes the second highest level of automation: In defined scenarios and environments, the vehicle can perform driving tasks without the driver having to be ready to take over.

Mercedes-Benz Vans has launched a comprehensive cost initiative at company, production and product level in order to maintain profitability at a high level and to improve competitiveness. The goals here include further optimizing production processes and lowering production costs. This is to be achieved mainly by reducing the complexity of the product portfolio and focusing on efficiency in core production processes.

Mercedes-Benz Vans is also reorganizing its production network in order to become more efficient and flexible and to prepare the network for an electric future. In particular, the manufacturing plant in Jawor, Poland, is expected to set new standards worldwide for productivity and lean processes. The reorganization of the production network will enable Mercedes-Benz Vans to react quickly to changing market conditions in the future while at the same time optimizing its cost structure.