Monthly Review March 2023 - new car models
Stay up to speed with Fleet Europe's Monthly Review featuring new car and van models that will hit your fleet shortlist soon. Last month an iconic name got reimagined, while Ford attacked the heart of the fleet market, and Kia surprised with a zero-emission flagship model.
NIO - ET5 Shooting Brake
Chinese premium EV builder Nio adds a shooting brake to the ET5 line-up, a popular and characteristic body type for European customers. The car will be offered with two battery sizes and a swapping option and has a range of up to 580km. Nio offers its cars in dedicated markets only. The Battery as a Service (BaaS) model allows changing empty batteries to fully charged ones in five minutes. Also, purchasing the battery is an option.
FORD - Explorer
This is Ford's first European-focused electric car, developed through its tech alliance with Volkswagen. The SUV shares the same platform as the Volkswagen ID.4 and features two liquid-cooled battery packs with either 52kWh or 77kWh installed capacity, offering up to 500km of range. In addition, the Explorer can charge from a 7kW AC home wall box and two capacities for DC ultra rapid charging. It tows up to 1200kg. The first deliveries are planned for the beginning of next year. Read more about its role in fleets here.
MERCEDES - eSprinter
Don't let looks deceive you. The new eSprinter is an entire technical overhaul resulting in a driving range of up to 400km (up from a mere 150km). The architecture boasts an all-new electric drivetrain, including a lithium-iron-phosphate battery pack with 56, 81, or 113kWh capacity. With a high roof as standard, the eSprinter will be available in two lengths and two body styles. This is the last converted van before Mercedes starts implementing a purpose-built matrix.
MERCEDES - GLC COUPE
Following the new GLC is the Coupé version, a major Fleet favourite for Mercedes. Three PHEV versions will be available: the 300 e 4MATIC, 400 e 4MATIC and 300 de 4MATIC. All three feature an electric motor with an output of 100kW and a battery with a nominal capacity of 31.2kWh, which should enable impressive ranges of up to 131km of emission-free driving. Mercedes offers an optional DC charging option, which can charge the battery up to 60kW. In addition, the new model has improved handling.
KIA - EV9
Kia's second model under the EV moniker is a big boxy SUV propelled by a 99.8kWh, 800V battery. The flagship measures over 5 metres long and offers a range of up to 541 kilometres between charges. A rear-wheel-driven and a GT performance variant are expected at a later date. The EV9 will feature a new 'highway driving pilot' system in specific markets that offers level-three autonomous driving "where conditions permit". It will join the Kia EV6 crossover in dealerships in late 2023.
RENAULT - Espace
No longer an MPV, the newest generation of the iconic Renault Espace blurs the line between people carrier and SUV. The Espace will run on the group's latest CMF-CD hardware and features a 197bhp E-Tech hybrid powertrain, promising 4.6 litres/100km and 104g/km of CO2. Other notable features include a one-square-meter sunroof, and 4Control advanced four-wheel steering tech. If the athletic and elegant design rings a bell, the new Espace is a more extended version of the already-launched Austral.
Want to read the previous review? Click here.
Image Source: Nio, Ford, Mercedes, Kia, Renault
