The successor of the Mercedes Citan will have two versions: the commercial model Mercedes Citan, which will also exist in the electric version and the Mercedes T-Class passenger version.
Photo: Mercedes-Benz, Auto motor und sport
In August last year, the Mercedes-Benz Vans division officially announced that it would continue cooperation with the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance in the field of small commercial vehicles and that it would develop a new generation of Mercedes Citan that would also have electric propulsion.
Now, Mercedes announces that there will be two vehicles on this platform: Citan’s successor as the commercial version and the Mercedes T-Class as the passenger version. The new model is announced through a first teaser.
The smallest commercial vehicle in the Mercedes vans range is the Citan, which is actually a derivative of the Renault Kangoo. Launched in 2012, the Citan has been widely criticized for being practically more Renault than Mercedes. There were safety problems in the first years and then quality problems.
The Mercedes T-Class will have more Mercedes DNA than the Citan
Mercedes was receptive to these criticisms and the official statement clearly states: “With the new Mercedes-Benz T-Class, we will offer a vehicle which makes it possible for families and those with active pastimes to step into the Mercedes-Benz world. These customers seek attractive and practical compact vehicles – and it is precisely these demands which the new T-Class fulfils. As a completely new development, the T-Class will be clearly discernible at first glance as a member of the Mercedes-Benz family and will feature unmistakeably typical characteristics of the brand with the three-pointed star. Especially in terms of design, value, safety and connectivity, the new vehicle will bear the DNA of Mercedes-Benz, ”said Marcus Breitschwerdt, head of Mercedes-Benz Vans.
And Gorden Wagener, chief designer at Mercedes, added: “With the T-class’s new layout and design we achieve a fusion of functionality and desirability. With our unique design philosophy of Sensual Purity we create an attractive family companion being the T-Class inspiring with its design, proportions and its perceived value. ”
From these statements we deduce that the new Mercedes Citan/Mercedes T-Class will be very different from the future Kangoo and will have the Mercedes design line. Renault has also announced a new generation for Kangoo this year. Both Renault and Mercedes will also offer an electric version.
Two sliding doors and electric version
According to information provided by the German magazine auto motor und sport, the electric model will have a 52 kW electric motor and a battery that will provide a WLTP range of 400 km. It is unknown for the time being if mercedes will continue to use the 1.5 dCi with 80,95 and 115 HP engine from Renault or not.
Mercedes has already begun to replace the 1.5 dCi in the compact range and the new Mercedes GLA has received a weaker version of the new 2 liter diesel engine OM654q with 116 HP.
Regarding the construction of the body, Mercedes confines itself to announcing that the Citan/T-Class will have two sliding side doors. The first spy photos presented by Auto motor und Sport magazine highlights a radiator grille with three thick blades in the style of the Mercedes Sprinter and in the middle is the Mercedes logo. The commercial version will still have two asymmetrical rear doors while the passenger version looks like it will have a tailgate.
The new Mercedes T-Class will be launched in the first half of 2022.
With the Mercedes T-Class, Mercedes wants to fill the gap left free by Mercedes Vaneo, which was a very practical but too expensive vehicle. It remains to be seen whether the Mercedes T-Class will not cannibalize the new Mercedes B-Class internally.
