The Mercedes-Benz plant in Vitoria has successfully begun production of the first pre-series vehicles of the new all-electric Mercedes-Benz VLE and is thus preparing for the start of serial production in 2026. To meet the requirements of the first vehicle based on the newly developed, modular and scalable van architecture in production, the Vitoria plant has been comprehensively modernized.
“The new VLE is the first vehicle of our new, modular and highly flexible van architecture. In record time we have brought the VLE from the first concept considerations to serial readiness. Throughout the development process we have consistently used innovative digital methods and thereby created significant efficiencies,” says Thomas Klein, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans.
In more than 160 different training offerings, around 5,000 employees at the site were trained in new processes and procedures, including in collaboration with other Mercedes-Benz plants. Topics included, for example, the integration of new IT
standards as well as the use of new technologies and materials.
Vans and Transporters on a single line
The Vitoria plant will, from 2026, initially produce the all-electric VLE and the V-Class, later in the year also the Vito and eVito, according to demand. The VLE will be integrated into the plant's ongoing production, initially as an electric vehicle on the new Van.EA platform, later, as recently decided in light of the weak demand for electric vehicles, also with a hybrid internal combustion engine on the 70 percent identical Van.CA platform. The same modular and predominantly electric base should then also be used by the next Sprinter. While the current model will continue to be built and there will also be a transition phase at the Vito, during which old diesel and new E-models are built in parallel.
Thus, drivetrain-flexible various vehicle models run from the same line. At the
site, a new, modern body-in-white and also a new, fully flexible paint shop have been created. The assembly hall was also modernized during ongoing production. The plant aims to set benchmarks in sustainable van manufacturing, with production, as at other sites, CO₂-neutral on the books. Purchased electricity has been entirely sourced from renewable energy since 2013. A PV installation has been installed at the Vitoria plant. For heating the buildings the plant also relies on geothermal energy and uses the waste heat generated during the painting of the vehicles. Digital production methods such as artificial intelligence and the creation of a digital twin of the manufacturing process were used in preparations for the new VLE at the plant.
For the first time, the Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS) is also being introduced into a van in serial production. We are proud that the Vitoria plant was able to implement the preparations
in the shortest possible time, says Bernd Krottmayer, site manager Mercedes-Benz Plant Vitoria.
Van Premiere for MB.OS Operating System
The VLE is intended to combine the best of two worlds: the driving behavior and handling of a sedan with the versatility and space of an MPV or van. With up to eight seats, the VLE’s portfolio ranges from flexible vehicles for families and leisure-active customers to exclusive shuttles. The VLE is the first vehicle based on the newly developed, modular and scalable van architecture. In the wind tunnel it claims top values in aerodynamics; for a long-distance trip from Stuttgart over the Alps to Rome the VLE required two 15-minute charging stops. On the platform, therefore, 800-volt technology, all-wheel steering, power up to 400 kW and driving assistance at Level 2+ or even Level 3 of automated driving are enabled, with the Drive Pilot capabilities borrowed from the S-Class and
