She will replace Michael Hellman, who is leaving the company, in the role at Düsseldorf.

Mercedes will deliver nearly 5,000 panel vans for parcel delivery over the coming months, of which roughly three-quarters will be large-size ‘eSprinter’ models.

The milestone vehicle was a battery electric ‘eSprinter’, assembled at the ‘Mercedes-Benz Vans LLC’ plant in Charleston, South Carolina, where production of the new eSprinter range was initially launched in 2023.

The automotive manufacturer has announced the ‘VAN.CA’, or “Van Combustion Architecture”, will be launched following the introduction of the ‘VAN.EA’, or “Van Electric Architecture”, in 2026.

Mercedes says that it expects to sell its five millionth Sprinter before the end of 2025.

Klein will replace Mathias Geisen, who will sit on the board of management from 1 February and will take responsibility for group sales from 1 March.

Källenius’s stated priorities are to lobby for less bureaucracy, to push for a more “market-driven” transition to electric vehicles, and to champion international trade that is “free, fair and rule based”.

This blue-chip UK truck show brought hundreds of exhibitors, fleet operators, policymakers, members of the public and of course, the T&BB team.

Manufactured at the Wörth truck plant, the three-axle, all-wheel-drive Zetros (6x6) is now available as an armoured vehicle. The two-axle 4x4 to the four-axle 8x8 as an armoured vehicle will be offered from 2025.

The basic idea is to turn large-sized cargo vans into “mobile micro-depots” from which cargo bikes can collect and deliver goods during the last mile.

The new battery electric eSprinter now boasts a range of up to 440 kilometres, thanks to an updated powertrain with an electric axle and lithium iron phosphate batteries.

From April next year, the Atego will be equipped with more cutting-edge safety assistance systems including, Active Brake Assist 6, emergency braking assistant and the Active Sideguard Assist 2 turning assistant.