Mercedes Sustaineer electric concept delivery van makes cities cleaner

Mercedes-Benz has introduced the Sustaineer electric concept delivery van for last-mile mobility that is touted to improve air quality in cities, is climate neutral and produces its own green electricity. The electric van is based on the Mercedes-Benz eSprinter and comes with solutions designed to improve the quality of life in cities as well as better the health of the drivers and others on the roads.

The electric van comes with a fine particle filter on the front module and underbody that purifies the air around the van no matter what its speed. It features a solar panel on the roof that enables its range to be extended by several thousand kilometres every year. This also reduces the need for plug-in charging of its batteries. The electricity can also be used to power devices such as laptops whether or not the van is running.

The Mercedes Sustaineer concept makes use of recycled materials demonstrating the potential of a circular economy which includes 3 ₹- Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. The van's filler is made up from household waste, its cab partition is built from natural straw and the underbody makes use of recycled polypropylene and used tyres. The steering wheel comes covered in vegan leather.

The delivery van also gets an energy-saving heating system which is close to its body. The van comes also with a quiet electric drivetrain, low rolling resistance tyres and a hushed automatic delivery door.

On safety front, the delivery van concept gets a camera that monitors its road conditions and shares reports of potholes and other hazards. Its digital mirrors provide a clearer field of view than one would normally get with cargo vans.

Mercedes-Benz is also pushing for the batteries of its vans to be recycled to the greatest extent possible. By 2030, the company aims to reduce the use of primary resources used in drive systems and battery technology by 40 percent compared with current figure.