Tailor-made connectivity services for electric vehicles

07.

March 2019

Stuttgart

For the first time with intelligent Remote eCharging
Eight packages for fleets ranging from the smallest business to key account holders
eVito: 150 kilometres range[1] and fully charged after six hours

Stuttgart. With the eVito, Mercedes-Benz Vans is demonstrating that electrified models are competitive and, depending on the field of operations, can actually be operated at the same price as vehicles with a traditional combustion engine. And now the mid-sized electric van is also following suit in terms of connectivity. With newly developed, digital Mercedes PRO connect services, eVito models manufactured as of March 2019 will please customers even more thanks to their additional digitisation. After the market launch of Mercedes PRO connect in the new Sprinter in June 2018, the digital ecosystem at Mercedes-Benz Vans will this year be focussing on the mid-size segment.

For the first time with intelligent Remote eCharging

"With electric vehicles, fleet managers have to deal with completely new topics. With our "Digital eVan Management" Connectivity Package, we provide our customers with important information on the charge level of their electric fleet. They can thus call up, for example, the state of charge at any time via a web-based Vehicle Management Tool or even check when charging will be complete in the Mercedes PRO connect App[2]. With these tailored services which will be available in their full scope for the eVito as of the second quarter of the year, we can now provide our customers with a digital service which is not yet offered by any other competitor," explains Bjoern Sack, Head of Connectivity and Digital Services at Mercedes-Benz Vans.

The "Digital eVan Management" Connectivity Package features two alternative services which can be used. Thanks to the "Remote eCharging" service, customers have the possibility to set the temperature in the vehicle interior before they even start their journey. This means that the amount of battery charge which would otherwise be required for that is reduced and accordingly a greater vehicle range can be achieved. Using the Mercedes PRO connect App, drivers can remotely programme when they would like to begin their journey and thus that the vehicle temperature should be adjusted ahead of this. Besides the driver, the fleet manager also receives all relevant information on the battery charge level and climate control system in the Vehicle Management Tool.

A second specific service offered by Mercedes PRO connect for the eVito will be the "Intelligent eCharging" service, expected to be available from the second quarter of 2019. This service will give fleet managers the possibility to charge their electric vehicle fleet in a staggered manner and can thus minimise the power output required for the electrical connection. What's more, settings for the departure time and pre-entry climate control can be made by the fleet manager using the Vehicle Management Tool and called up by the driver using the Mercedes PRO connect App. The intelligent infrastructure records these data and initiates staggered charging and pre-climatisation of all the electric vehicles.[3]

In comparison with stand-alone solutions, such complex mobility solutions also place greater demands on the IT infrastructure of the vehicles themselves. To ensure a holistic approach and great operational safety, Mercedes-Benz Vans has equipped the eVito with deeply networked systems, precisely as it did for the new Sprinter before it. The technological basis is formed by the communication module installed as standard which makes up the interface between the fleet manager and the drivers. With the data gathered, new services offering real added value can now be implemented.

Eight packages for fleets ranging from the smallest business to key account holders

Mercedes PRO is the service brand by Mercedes-Benz Vans for all current and future services, solutions and digital services for daily business. As a beneficial feature for fleets, Mercedes PRO helps optimise communication between fleet managers, vehicles and drivers. The networking solution makes it possible to manage online orders and vehicle data such as location or mileage reading in real time. Its advantages range from reduced downtimes resulting from pre-emptive management of repairs, right up to clearly prepared data for business analyses. Fleets ranging from those of small businesses to major customer fleets benefit from the web-based service.

For the eVito, a total of eight Connectivity Packages comprising 15 different services will be made available at http://www.mercedes.pro/ throughout the course of 2019. An online product advisor is available free of charge to help Mercedes-Benz Vans customers select the Mercedes PRO packages best-suited to their fleet and business. Here, the focus is for the most part on parameters such as the sector[4], fleet size and dynamics of route planning.

An overview of the eight packages available for the eVito manufactured as of March 2019:

Optimised Assistance – for the timely and efficient planning of service and maintenance work, better schedule and cost transparency as well as reduced downtimes.
Efficient Fleet Management – for fast and flexible planning and better utilisation of the fleet through transparency of vehicle location and status.
Digital eVan Management – the electric vehicle fleet can be charged in a staggered fashion provided the required infrastructure is available; the electrical power output required is minimised and the temperature can already be set before the journey begins. The package will be available to order in its full scope from the second quarter of 2019 in Germany.
Efficient Driving Style Analysis – provides meaningful data on the driving profile, which can be used to optimise fuel consumption, for example. The service is expected to be available for the eVito from the third quarter of 2019.
Simplified Fleet Communication – optimises the communication between driver and fleet manager, who can send messages directly to the Mercedes PRO App and can place orders: interactively, swiftly and directly.
Digital Records – enables the storage of driven routes, e.g. for the separate administration of business and private journeys.
Mobile Vehicle Operation – increases anti-theft protection and improves work processes, because the vehicle can be checked and locked remotely and the vehicle can also be opened without a key.
Data Interfaces Mercedes-Benz Vans – integrate the new eVito into existing fleet management solutions.

eVito: 150 kilometres range1 and fully charged after six hours

The eVito feels most at home in urban deliveries, but thanks to its range and load compartment capacity it also comes up to the demands of tradespeople and service technicians. The installed battery's capacity of 41 kWh ensures a range of around 150 kilometres1. Even in unfavourable conditions, the customer can expect a range of 100 kilometres1. And after six hours of charging, the full range will again be available.

The battery-electric drive delivers 85 kW and can attain a torque figure of up to 300 newton metres, which is optimally tailored to urban operations. The top speed can also be adjusted to suit the respective application. If the eVito is predominantly used in inner-city areas, the top speed of 80 km/h goes easy on the energy reserves and increases the vehicle's range. Alternatively, a top speed of up to 120 km/h can also be configured.

The mid-size van can be ordered with two different wheelbases. The basic variant with a total length of 5140 millimetres provides for a maximum payload of 1015 kilogrammes and is thus on a par with the Vito equipped with a traditional drive system. The extra-long version, meanwhile, measures 5370 millimetres. In its spacious load compartment, products and goods can be accommodated by its payload of 990 kilogrammes. The maximum permissible gross weight stands at 3200 kilogrammes. And the positioning of the batteries also guarantees the greatest possible flexibility, with load volumes of between 6.0 and 6.6 m3: the energy storage cells are installed beneath the vehicle and thus do not restrict the load compartment in the slightest.

[1] The stated figures were obtained in accordance with the prescribed measuring process. They constitute the "NEDC CO2 figures" pursuant to Art. 2 No. 1 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1152. Fuel consumption figures have been calculated on this basis. Electrical consumption has been determined on the basis of Directive 692/2008/EC.

[2] The Mercedes PRO app may not be used while the vehicle is in motion. Otherwise there is a risk of being distracted from the traffic and the driver or other road users being endangered. Users must also observe the legal requirements of the country in which they are currently located.

[3] A pre-requisite for using the service is a suitable charging infrastructure at the operational location. Users can obtain further information at the following website: https://www.jetzt-elektrovan.mercedes-benz.de/

[4] Retail and e-grocery, vehicle servicing, the trades and service providers, CEP and logistics, construction, the transport of people and vehicle rental