First Drive in the all-new electric VLE | The Drivearound with Tania Higgins

It's ready. Just like that. Just gives you a sense of freedom. Welcome to beautiful Bilbao. Today is the day we finally take the Mercedes-Benz VLE out on the road. This is a milestone because it's the first vehicle built from scratch on the advanced architecture, which means that every millimetre is used optimally. Today, I'm going to put these two through their paces. We're going to find out finally what's it like to drive. They're electric, so we want to know how quick and easy is it to charge. Apparently, it parks itself. I want to know how that works. Also, I want to know what the high tech digital environment is really like for the driver, but also for the passenger. Let's put them to the test. One of the wonderful things about filming here in Northwestern Spain is that we've got spectacular scenery. We've got these winding coastal roads and really steep mountainous paths. It also means that you need really good suspension. Thankfully, we've got the Airmatic here, which is an advanced air suspension system. What that does is absorb any uneven surfaces and makes the whole ride just feel really smooth, controlled, and comfortable. Let's ask the team at the back because that's where you really notice good suspension. How are you doing there in the back, team? Very good. It's super smooth back here. Fantastic. Good to hear. I'm sure you've noticed the gorgeous MBUX super screen that goes right across the whole dashboard. I think it's a fabulous bit of design here in the VLE and also part of this advanced high-tech digital environment. What you get is a display that's really sharp, the interface is really fast, and that just has a completely intuitive interaction with the driver. There's no such thing as a bored passenger here in the VLE because the MBUX super screen has a dedicated screen just for the front passenger for gaming and streaming. The VLE is really made for long-distance trips and you notice that in really nice design aspects like here in the center console. When you open it, you'll find a temperature-controlled compartment where you can keep drinks warm or cold. Anyone thirsty? Yes. Go and help yourself. Nice. Enjoy. I'm sure you know that feeling when you're driving down a really narrow lane, typical for example in old medieval villages, and you just can't turn around and it's really difficult to reverse. I've got something for you here. Check this out. The VLE does it for you. Put it into reverse. Look. Reverse maneuver assist. All I have to do is lightly press on the pedal and it reverses for me. Look here, I can even see how far it's 45 meters still to go. It goes the whole way back and I don't have to think about it. Even does the bend here for me. Fantastic. That's so nice. There we go. So the VLE is clearly a big spacious car. One of the things you might be concerned about is how to park it, which is why I'm here on the parking lot. I'm going to put it to the test now. I'm going to look for a really tight parking space and see how the VLE can help me out there. Right. So here, let's choose the trickiest parking space. I'll try that one. Look, hands-free. Here we go. It's going to do it for me. Isn't that nice? Tight parking space between two other cars and the VLE does it for me. Rear axle steering, because that's where the magic happens. That's how this car can get into tight spaces so neatly. Look at that. Done. Had my fun driving. Now I want to chill in the back as a passenger. Let's check out the rear space experience. Oh, not bad, eh? Nice set of wheels. Oh, this is very chilled. I think I can get used to this. Have you ever seen this? The sliding doors have fully retractable windows, so you let some fresh air in. This is where the vibe changes from driving to being driven. True welcome home feeling. Let's go, Willy. Can you hear anything? No, right? I mean, this space is really designed to slow the world down just a little bit. It really feels like your own personal retreat. Incredibly quiet. Look up here. This huge sky panoramic view just gives you a sense of freedom. So much space. Right. Time to put my feet up. So right here, got this handy display. Just press one button and I'm good to go. Calf support. Feet go up. Almost in the perfect lying position. So massage function is on. This headrest is really nice and fluffy. Let's check out the panoramic screen. Hey, Mercedes. How can I help? Start cinema mode. Sure. I'll turn on cinema mode Check this out. It turns into your own private cinema. Here's a really clever detail because you can split the screen so I can watch a movie here on my side and my fellow passenger can watch their movie or play a game and we won't interrupt each other or disturb each other because we'll be connected with our Bluetooth headphones. Thanks to the 8 megapixel camera, you can just hop onto a Teams meeting. Hey, Tara. Hey, everyone. So you can connect up to six devices via Bluetooth. Controllers, headphones. Just fun for everyone in the back. So we've got this 3D Burmester surround sound in here with 22 speakers placed around the cabin and that gives you the most incredible immersive sound experience and it just blows you away. So before I get out, let me show you another really cool detail. With the buttons here, you can open and close the doors on the opposite side, which is really convenient for your fellow passengers in case they've got their hands full. Oh, look who's waiting for us. So now each BLE has its own personality, but the core idea is that it adapts to your needs. So let me show you what you can do with the seats. So if you choose the electrically adjustable seats, you can literally rearrange the seats at the touch of a button just using your phone. The other option is the manually adjustable seats and you won't believe what you can do with those. Let's go and have a look. So with the manually adjustable options, you can get up to six seats here in the back and because of the continuous rails, you can adjust them and put them anywhere you like. You don't have to find one fixed spot. So let me show you how to do that. Just fold them up and then slide them along. Also, if you want to take them out, one seat, two seats or all of them, there's a little lever here and you just get them out and then roll them along on the integrated wheels. So if you just want to grab something quickly from the boot, you don't have to open the whole thing. You've got the rear window access and there you can just grab something off from the rear shelf, close it and you're off again. So here we have two perfect examples of how the BLE adapts to demanding lifestyles. Here with the electrically adjustable seats, you've got plenty of room for your luggage and still very comfortable seating there. And here with the adjustable seats, taking all the seats out and you've got plenty of room for your sports gear. Of course, once you've safely secured that, you're ready to get on the road again. Let's see what intelligent driving is like. So when you're driving along these windy roads, you really need a system that thinks with you and Mercedes-Benz has got a new operating system called MBOS, which makes the BLE feel completely intuitive. Let me give you an example. Hey, Mercedes. How may I help you? Take me to the next high power charger. Let's go. So this is where electric intelligence really pays off because it doesn't just take us to the next high power charger. It automatically preconditions the battery, taking it to the perfect temperature so we can charge really fast. Great. So our stop is locked in. Let's see how much range we can add while I grab my coffee. And so we've talked about space. We've talked about intelligence. We've talked about comfort. But for an electric grand limousine, one question is crucial. How easy is it to charge so I can get back on the road again? The BLE is built on an 800 volt architecture and it charges with more than 300 kilowatts, which means it's designed for very fast DC charging. With the right high power charger, you can add up to 355 kilometer range and just wait for it 15 minutes. It's also super efficient because it consumes less than 20 kilowatt hours per 100 kilometers. So here's another detail that makes a difference. You can actually open the sliding door even when the cable is plugged in. Take a look at that. And it opens far enough so that kids or passengers can get out. Now, imagine if you're parked on a busy road. That means they don't have to get out on the other side into oncoming traffic. Safety is utmost. Nice to know. And I think I'm going to go get coffee now. So range added. Done. Ready to go. So thanks for joining me on this drive around northern Spain in the all new Mercedes-Benz BLE. Where would you go if you had the BLE? Also, who would you take? And what features are you excited to try out? If you've got any questions, leave it in the comments below. We'll get back to you on the next video.