5 million sprinters in 30 years

5 million sprinters in 30 years

The anniversary vehicle, a fully electric eSprinter, was assembled at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Charleston, South Carolina and has now been handed over to FedEx, a long-standing customer of Mercedes-Benz Vans. This event not only underlines the continued success of the Sprinter, but also highlights the importance of Charleston in Mercedes-Benz's global production network. The Charleston plant has played an important role for the Sprinter in North America for almost 20 years. The latest addition joins FedEx's growing global Mercedes‑Benz Vans fleet, which includes both conventional and electric vehicles. The proud anniversary underlines the continued popularity of the Sprinter worldwide and reflects Mercedes‑Benz Vans' ongoing commitment to innovation, quality and craftsmanship in the light commercial vehicle sector.

Global clientele

FedEx is one of Mercedes-Benz Vans' largest global customers and uses the Sprinter and eSprinter models for intercity and last mile delivery services in markets in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and South America. “As our network has evolved and expanded over the years, Mercedes‑Benz vans – including the Sprinter and now the eSprinter – have consistently been able to meet our needs and help us provide the reliable, outstanding service our customers expect,” said Pat Donlon, vice president of global vehicles at FedEx. The transport service provider was one of Mercedes-Benz's first major fleet customers in the USA and contributed significantly to the success of the Sprinter in the North American market. Growing demand from fleet customers and the overall increasing popularity of the Sprinter in the US and Canada led to the expansion of the Charleston factory in 2018. The modernization included the establishment of a new body shop, a paint shop and an expansion of the existing assembly area so that the plant can meet increasing demand. Additionally, a $50 million investment was made in 2024 to support the ramp-up of the new eSprinter at the factory, another key milestone in the factory's continued innovation and growth.

Three decades of sprinting

The Sprinter has been built for 30 years and is used as a delivery van, mobile workstation, people transporter and camper van. First introduced in 1995, the Sprinter followed the Mercedes TN/T1. The Sprinter introduced many advanced safety features into its segment - such as ABS brakes and later the electronic stability program ESP. It also featured a more aerodynamic design, better fuel efficiency and a range of powerful yet economical petrol and diesel engines. The second generation, launched in 2006, offered improvements such as larger cargo volume, a more spacious cab and a wider range of body styles - including chassis and minibuses. Mercedes-Benz expanded its target market and marketed the Sprinter under various brands such as Dodge and Freightliner in North America, making it a versatile option on both sides of the Atlantic. The third generation was introduced in 2018 and became a mobile office with connectivity and digital services, including a multimedia system, telematics and driving assistants. The variety of variants of the Sprinter includes numerous different bodies, chassis, drive concepts, tonnages and equipment details, with which more than 1,000 different versions can be configured. The current generation offers an even wider choice of powertrains, including front-wheel drive and two transmission types, including a nine-speed automatic with a torque converter. With the introduction of the fully electric eSprinter variant, the future of delivery transport with light commercial vehicles has now dawned. In addition to assembly in Charleston, Sprinters and eSprinters are manufactured in Düsseldorf and Ludwigsfelde.