Mercedes eCitan EV Charging Cable

A working van with a straightforward answer

The eCitan panel van and crew van, L1 and L2, carry 45 kWh and are quoted between 176 and 186 miles WLTP depending on the source. Mercedes fits an 11 kW three phase charger as standard and offers 22 kW as an option; the 22 kW unit is standard on the passenger EQT and optional here, which several write-ups blur together.

That 11 kW headline needs three phases behind the socket. One phase, which is what a house gets, means 7.4 kW. What matters for a depot or a driveway is that this van is built on the Renault Kangoo platform, whose charger is limited by amps per phase rather than by phase count. A single phase supply therefore gives it close to a full 7.4 kW, and independent testing backs that up: 45 kWh in about six and a half hours on a 7 kW wallbox works out at roughly 6.9 kW average.

How long a full charge takes

Hours are worked from battery size against power drawn, plus a 13 per cent allowance for what is lost as heat, rounded to fifteen minutes. Range added per hour assumes a year round 3.5 miles per kWh rather than a best case figure. Around six and three quarter hours from empty on a single phase supply, which fits comfortably into an overnight stand between shifts.

DC rapid charging is 75 to 80 kW for a 10 to 80 per cent stop in about 38 minutes, which is enough to rescue a long day without rearranging it.

Which length for an eCitan

We have not been able to find the charge port position published anywhere for the eCitan, by Mercedes or anyone else, and we are not going to infer it from the Renault it shares a platform with. Have a look at the van before ordering.

What we can say is that vans get parked where they fit. The eCitan is 4.5 metres as an L1 and about 4.9 as an L2, and on a yard or a shared bay the charge point is rarely where you would choose. Ten metres is the sensible default on a working vehicle, with 5 metres reserved for a van that always parks the same way round on a private drive. Work it out from where the car genuinely sits, not where it could sit, and leave slack.

How these cables are built

IEC 62196-2 construction, CE marked, IP55 sealed and tested from -30C through to +50C.

The three pin version is an IEC 62752 unit, CE marked and IP67 sealed, specified -30C to +60C. Backed by a two year manufacturer's warranty, with free next working day delivery and a 30 day return window.

Also from Mercedes: Mercedes EQA EV Charging Cable. The full range of Mercedes charging cables is on one page. For a wall box or public post the lead is the Type 2 to Type 2 charging cable.

Mercedes eCitan charging cable questions

What cable does an eCitan need?

A 32A Type 2 to Type 2 cable. The van draws close to a full 7.4 kW from a single phase supply, so a 32A lead is worth having and a 16A one would nearly double the time.

How long does an eCitan take to charge?

About six and three quarter hours from empty on a 7 kW single phase point, which matches independent testing of roughly six and a half hours for the 45 kWh pack.

Is 22 kW charging standard?

No. 11 kW is standard on the eCitan and 22 kW is an option; the 22 kW unit is standard on the passenger EQT instead. Neither figure is reachable from a single phase supply.

Where is the charge port?

Mercedes does not publish it and we have not found it stated anywhere reliable, so we will not guess. Check the van before choosing a cable length.