2028 Mercedes-VLE. The Electric Luxury MPV Coming To China (Plus Global Launch Details)
Mercedes-Benz announced the development of a new electric people-mover vehicle, the VLE, which it plans to position as a "grand limousine" while it tries to meet the demand for more space in the EV segment. The company has imported the VLE to China, where it has been customized to meet local requirements.
This article covers all the information about Mercedes' latest EV model in simple terms to help you understand what to expect in Europe and the UK, or simply follow the development of the China market release as a buyer based in the US, Australia, or elsewhere outside of China.
Mercedes-Benz VLE: What Is It?
The VLE is Mercedes' replacement for the EQV and has been conceived on the company's new VAN.EA electric platform. It is a much larger and more luxurious version of an MPV which can offer the comfort of a limousine and the functionality of a large people-carrying vehicle, with sliding doors and room for up to eight passengers, as the brand promises.
It follows the Vision V concept car presented in April 2025 at the Shanghai Auto Show, which gave buyers and critics alike an idea of what the finished product would look like. The VLE was first presented globally in June 2026 and began serial production on June 9, 2026, at Mercedes' Vitoria factory in Spain, which had to be restructured to build the VLE while maintaining production of the V-Class and Vito MPVs.
Mercedes-Benz VLE: What Does It Offer To The Global Market (Outside Of China)?
The global version of the VLE offers excellent tech specs which are likely to appeal to affluent buyers in search of an MPV with a longer driving range. The car features a 115 kWh battery with an 800-volt architecture which enables rapid DC charging. According to Mercedes, it should be possible to charge the VLE with enough energy for a 221+ mile drive in only 15 minutes using a compatible charging station.
The driving range is also excellent, with the entry-level VLE 300 offering more than 430 miles under the new WLTP ratings. This is more than the competition can offer, with the Hyundai Ioniq 9 and the VW ID Buzz being the main contenders in the electric MPV segment. The VLE 300 has one motor located at the front axle with an output of 272-276 hp, while the VLE 400 4MATIC has a second motor at the rear axle with combined power output of 409-415 hp. As a result, the 0-62 mph time drops by almost 3 seconds to 6,5 with the VLE 400 4MATIC.
Inside the luxurious VLE, buyers can choose from a variety of powerful engines and excellent interior specs, including the MB.OS driving assistant system spanning three displays, one of which can be a 30+ inch rear seat entertainment screen with an 8K resolution. The VLE also offers passengers luxury comfort and convenience, with air suspension and rear-wheel steering options on offer to reduce the turning diameter of the large vehicle.
The global VLE's entry-level trim starts at around €70,000, with some high-end trims offered for up to €140,000. In the UK, the equivalent VLE is expected to start at around £75,000 to £80,000, which would put it considerably above the current V-Class and even a Tesla Model X P100D.
Mercedes-Benz VLE: What About China?
While the global variant of the Mercedes-Benz VLE was being presented in the press, Mercedes was busy preparing an entirely different version of the VLE for the Chinese market. Compared to the global version, the China-spec VLE promises to utilize much larger dimensions, a wider variety of wheel and tire sizes, and different powertrains.
The China bound variant will be built by Fujian Benz, a joint venture between Mercedes-Benz Group, Chinese automaker BAIC, and Fujian Motor Industry. The VLE will follow the V-Class and Vito produced at the Fujian Benz facility, which means that it will not require a separate production line to fulfill local demand for the VLE.
According to the recently filed Chinese homologation documents, the China-spec VLE will have a 3,340 mm wheelbase, and it will be 5,310 mm long, 2,000 mm wide, and 1,922 mm high. With that in mind, the VLE will be one of the largest MPVs on the Chinese market, and buyers will be offered the choice between 19, 20, and 21-inch wheels.
The China-spec VLE's interior will be identical to that of the global variant, with the option to choose between 2+2+3 seating configurations. This means that the middle row will offer maximum comfort with two captain's seats while the rear row will offer flexibility with a 3-seat bench that can be folded flat. As standard equipment, the China-spec VLE will feature a panoramic sunroof, power sliding rear doors, and a 360-degree camera for better vision when parking.
Powering the China-market VLE will be two variants of Mercedes' powertrain. The entry-level VLE 300 will be powered by a single front-mounted ZF motor which offers 200 kW (268 hp) of peak power and 120 kW (161 hp) of continuous power. It will be offered with front-wheel drive only, while the VLE 400 will get a dual-motor AWD powertrain with the same front motor as the VLE 300 and a rear-mounted ZF motor with 105 kW (141 hp) of power. Combined, the VLE 400's power output is 305 kW (409 hp), which is close to the 310 kW (415 hp) of the AWD VLE 400 sold in the global market.
Both China-market variants will use nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) battery cells made by the joint venture between Mercedes and Contemporary Amperex Tuofu Technology (CATL) while the battery packs themselves will be assembled at Fujian CATL. Mercedes has not stated the battery capacity which the China-spec VLE will use, but based on the global variant's 115 kWh battery, the Chinese rivals of the VW ID Buzz and the Hyundai Ioniq 9 can expect a similar range.
The curb weight for the China-market VLE is estimated to be between 3,030 kg and 3,220 kg for the two variants, with a permissible gross weight of up to 3,780 kg for the VLE.
Mercedes-Benz VLE: Who Will The China-Spec VLE Competes With?
China has seen the rapid rise of the premium EV MPV segment over the last two years, and Mercedes wants a piece of the action. The main domestic competitors for the Mercedes-Benz VLE will be the BYD Denza D9 and the Voyah Dream V9, with the entry-level variants starting at around 46,000 USD and 45,800 USD respectively. The BYD Denza D9's top trim is expected to cost 89,000 USD while the Voyah Dream V9's upper models will start at 105,000 USD.
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The other domestic competitors for the Mercedes-Benz VLE in China include the Luxeed V9 from Huawei and Chery, which is expected to start at 58,000 USD and the Zeekr 009, which will start at 65,000 USD. The Li Auto Mega EV uses a range-extended powertrain and is expected to start at 78,500 USD, while the premium Huwei Maextro brand has two flagships, the Maextro V680 and Maextro V800, which will start at 96,000 USD and reach up to 150,500 USD, respectively. As a reference point, the expected pricing of the VLE in China is likely to be found in the middle between the starting and ending prices of the aforementioned models.
Mercedes-Benz VLE FAQs
Q.1 Is The Mercedes-Benz VLE Fully Electric?
The Mercedes-Benz VLE is fully electric in both its global and China-market variants, and Mercedes has announced that a combustion-engine variant will be available at a later date.
Q.2. What Is The Driving Range Of The Mercedes-Benz VLE?
The global spec VLE 300 has a driving range of more than 430 miles on a single charge. The driving range for the China-market VLE has not been announced officially.
Q.3 How Fast Can You Charge The VLE 400?
Due to the VLE's 800-volt architecture, it should be possible to charge the VLE 400 to 80% or more on a compatible DC fast-charging station within 15 minutes.
Q.4. How Many Seats Does The Mercedes-Benz VLE Have?
The global spec VLE will be offered in five-seat, six-seat, and eight-seat configurations, while the China-market variant will have a standard 2+2+3 seating arrangement for seven seats.
Q.5 Where Is The Mercedes-Benz VLE Made?
The global spec VLE is made in Vitoria, Spain, while the China-market version will be manufactured locally by Fujian Benz, a joint venture between Mercedes, BAIC, and Fujian Motor Industries.
Q.6. How Much Does The Mercedes-Benz VLE Cost?
The global spec VLE will start at around €70,000 and will be offered across multiple trims with the top trim expected to be priced at around €140,000. The UK-spec version is expected to start at around £75,000 to £80,000.
Q.7. What Are The Main Competitors For The Mercedes-Benz VLE?
The main competitors for the Mercedes-Benz VLE in the global market (the UK and Europe) will be the Hyundai Ioniq 9 and the VW ID Buzz. In China, the Mercedes-Benz VLE will have to contend with the BYD Denza D9, Voyah Dream V9, Zeekr 009, Li Auto Mega EV, and the Huawei Luxeed V9.
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