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 underwent comprehensive modernization.
“The new VLE is the first vehicle of our new, modular and highly flexible van architecture. In record time we brought the VLE from the initial concept considerations to serial maturity. Throughout the development process we consistently used innovative digital methods and thereby created significant efficiencies,” says Thomas Klein, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans.
In more than 160 different training programs, the around 5,000 employees at the site were trained in new processes and procedures, including in collaboration with other Mercedes-Benz plants. Topics included the integration of new IT
standards as well as the deployment of new technologies and materials.
Vans and Transporters on a single line
The Vitoria plant will produce from 2026 initially upon customer demand the all-electric VLE, the V-Class, later in the year also the Vito and eVito. 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 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 for the Vito in which old diesel and new E-models are built in parallel.
Thus, drive-train-flexible, different vehicle models run on 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 operations. The plant is to set benchmarks in sustainable van manufacturing, with production, as at other sites, accounting for CO₂ neutrality. Purchased electricity has been 100% sourced from renewable energy since 2013. A PV system was 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 production were used in preparing the new VLE at the plant. For the first time the Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS) is also being introduced into a van-series production in the vehicle. They are proud that the Vitoria plant was able to
implement the preparations in the shortest possible time, says Bernd Krottmayer, site head Mercedes-Benz Plant Vitoria.
Van Premier for MB.OS Operating System
The VLE is intended to combine the best of two worlds: the driving dynamics 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, best-in-class aerodynamic performance is claimed; on a long-distance trip from Stuttgart across the Alps to Rome the VLE required two 15-minute charging stops. The platform thus features 800-volt technology, all-wheel steering, outputs up to 400 kW, and driver assistance at Level 2+ or even 3 of automated driving, with Drive Pilot capabilities borrowed from the
