Mercedes is testing a VLE luxury van prototype that appears to use a hybrid powertrain rather than a fully electric setup. The clearest visual signals are a conventional radiator grille and two filler flaps on the camouflaged vehicle.
The twin flaps suggest the prototype requires both fuel and external charging, although the available images do not establish the precise type of hybrid system Mercedes is evaluating.
The sighting is notable because the VLE is expected to play a central role in Mercedes' future luxury-van offering. A hybrid test vehicle would give the manufacturer an alternative for buyers and fleets that need electrified driving capability without relying exclusively on public charging infrastructure.
The prototype was detailed by Carscoops, which highlighted the grille and dual filler-flap arrangement as evidence that this VLE is not a pure battery-electric model.
