Mercedes-Benz Brings the Vision V Concept to Montreal as VLE and VLS Near Production

• The Vision V concept is an ultra-luxurious electric minivan unveiled at the Shanghai auto show last April.

• From this concept will come the VLE and VLS, which will each have an electric and a gasoline version.

• The VLS will be focused on luxury and the VLE will be intended for more family-oriented use. The latter will enter production next year.

After unveiling it in Shanghai last April and then exhibiting it in Los Angeles in August, Mercedes-Benz is bringing its Vision V concept to Montreal.

It was at MELS studios that we had the opportunity to see this ultra-luxurious electric minivan up close.

While this vehicle category remains rather unknown in North America, it is very important in Europe and Asia, particularly in China, where business leaders and celebrities prefer minivans to sedans as a chauffeur-driven transport.

Mercedes-Benz will try its luck in our market with a pair of models inspired by the Vision V: The VLE and the VLS.

Unsurprisingly, the VLS will be more luxurious and the VLE will be more affordable, the former being mainly intended for limousine-type use while the latter will be better suited for family use. The VLS will be more directly derived from the Vision V concept.

The concept shows what is possible when you combine the pinnacle of Mercedes-Benz luxury with a more generous interior space than in any other model from the brand.

Thus, its interior is entirely covered in white Nappa leather—the seats, the side pillars, even the floor! The headliner, for its part, is covered in silk.

Regarding the seats, those in the rear compartment are adjustable in several ways and can notably form a completely flat bed or a relaxation position with integrated footrests.

Mercedes-Benz wants to create a mobile lounge with the Vision V, which is why a 65-inch flexible screen rises from the floor and sits in front of the electrochromic partition that separates the front compartment from the rear.

To enhance the viewing experience, the Vision V has 42 speakers and 7 projectors. The latter are installed in the floor and ceiling to illuminate the surfaces around the screen, including the side windows, which can be made opaque at the touch of a button.

A tablet unfolds from the center armrest like in an airliner’s business class, but unlike those, the Vision V’s tablet also serves as a chessboard. The glass and metal pieces are housed in one of the transparent storage compartments that occupy the side walls of the vehicle.

Mercedes-Benz is realistic about which elements may or may not end up in the production model.

Thus, do not expect to see the flexible screen, a leather-covered floor, or even the glass storage compartments in the VLE and VLS that will be offered on our market.

The manufacturer emphasizes, however, that the production models will still stand out when it comes to passenger entertainment.

Furthermore, the VLE will have a six or seven-passenger configuration while the VLS will be available in a four-passenger version, like the concept. The interior of the VLE should also be more durable and less prone to getting dirty, so we expect to see fewer white elements.

On the outside, the Vision V concept shows a very fluid line where all corners are rounded, from the window surrounds to the large taillight that forms a square at the perimeter of the perforated glass rear window.

This light element alone includes 450 LED units and it illuminates almost the entire rear of the vehicle.

Lighting also plays an important role in the presence that the Vision V exudes, with many animations and features.

For example, the 24-inch rims are illuminated and the front end displays the grille of the brand’s new electric vehicles, meaning it features luminous glass slats and a design reminiscent of the brand’s famous grilles from the 50s and 60s.

The circumference of this grille is also illuminated, courtesy of 200 LED elements, and it is topped by a light bar that includes another 190 lighting elements, including six on each side that form a total of four three-pointed stars, the brand’s logo.

Speaking of the logo, the Vision V concept marks the first time that the traditional Mercedes-Benz stand-up hood ornament is also illuminated.

Mercedes is experimenting with new technologies on this concept, notably a fingerprint reader to open the driver’s door and a facial recognition sensor to access the rear cabin via the single sliding door.

It is too early to know if these elements will be kept on the VLE and VLS, but in a scenario where the minivan is used as an airport shuttle or as executive transport, they could improve the passenger experience, as could the external screen that can display the name of the person invited aboard on the sliding door.

Few technical details about the production models are known, but we do know that Mercedes-Benz will offer both electric and gasoline versions of its future luxury minivans, but no hybrids, at least for the moment.

Mercedes-Benz Vision V: When the Electric Minivan Becomes a Limousine

Laboratory tests began a few weeks ago on the VLE, which could therefore be brought to market before its more luxurious cousin.

According to Mercedes-Benz, the range obtained under these conditions is “well over” 300 miles (483 kilometers).

Unlike its previous vans offered on the North American market, no cargo version of the VLE and VLS is planned, thus not risking a reduction of their prestige compared to more traditional luxury sedans or SUVs.

Global production is expected to begin as early as the end of next year, with an introduction in key markets planned for sometime in 2027.