We spoke with Thomas Klein – who has been leading Mercedes-Benz Vans for just over a year – about the company’s standing in the motorhome industry and its outlook for the future

Words Antonio Mazzucchelli

Just over a year into his role as Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, Thomas Klein takes stock of the division’s strategy in the European motorhome market. One in ten Sprinters sold worldwide last year was converted into a motorhome, and Klein makes clear this is no accident: it is the result of a deliberate strategy built on strong partnerships with converters, ex-factory features designed specifically for the camper use case, and technology transferred from Mercedes-Benz passenger cars. The new Marco Polo, produced entirely in-house for the first time, and the Torque-on-Demand all-wheel-drive system are the latest proof. Looking ahead, Klein outlines a future shaped by electrification and greater supply-chain resilience, with the upcoming Mercedes-Benz Van Architecture set to carry the three-pointed star onto motorhomes by the end of the decade. Here are his answers to our questions.

Aboutcamp BtoB − Over the past few years, Mercedes-Benz has strengthened its position in the European motorhome market. How do you assess your current standing against your competitors?
Thomas Klein − We hold a strong position, particularly in the motorhome market. Firstly, we offer attractive base vehicles for motorhome manufacturers, above all the Sprinter. Worldwide, one in ten Sprinter sold last year was converted into a motorhome — and demand continues to grow. Our success is not driven by our strong product line-up alone. It is also built on the strength and breadth of our partnerships with motorhome manufacturers around the world, from established global players to ambitious start-ups.
In addition, we succeed in the motorhome market with our Marco Polo models, which we sell directly to end customers. Our new Marco Polo, which we presented to the press recently, will be produced entirely inhouse for the first time. This will enable us to meet growing customer demand.

Aboutcamp BtoB − How important is the recreational vehicle sector within Mercedes-Benz Vans’ overall business strategy, and how do you see its role evolving in the coming years?
Thomas Klein − The motorhome market is and remains of high strategic relevance for us. That is why we have done a great deal in recent years to strengthen our position in the segment.
Take our Sprinter, for example: we have equipped the Sprinter ex-factory with various features that make it particularly well suited for the motorhome use case – for example, the tractor-head variant. In addition, we have brought the Sprinter even closer to passenger-car level, especially in terms of comfort and safety. To achieve this, we have made use of the passenger-car modular system within the company – for instance with the introduction of the OM654 diesel engine, the Torque-on-Demand all-wheel-drive system, and the MBUX multimedia system. Did you know that, after the A-Class, the Sprinter was the second vehicle in the company to be equipped with this innovative technology?
What is more, our ambition is to make our technology available not only in panel vans, but – wherever possible – also in semi-integrated and fully integrated motorhomes in a timely manner. This requires close collaboration with motorhome manufacturers.
All this sends a clear message: Mercedes-Benz Vans is shaping the motorhome market and is taking on a pioneering role in the industry. And that will continue to be the case in the future.

Aboutcamp BtoB − The profile of motorhome buyers has evolved considerably in recent years. What new customer expectations are having the greatest impact on your current product portfolio?
Thomas Klein − Customers increasingly expect to find the same level of quality, comfort and safety in motorhomes as they find in passenger cars – this specifically applies for customers who choose Mercedes-Benz-based RVs. We also notice that motorhome customers are becoming more and more tech-savvy. That is exactly what we deliver in our current line-up.

Aboutcamp BtoB − Within the RV market, segments such as compact campervans, Class C and Class A models are growing at different paces. Which segments are most strategic for Mercedes-Benz today, and where do you see the strongest growth ahead?
Thomas Klein − With our Marco Polo, we of course directly target the compact camper van segment.
However, through our positioning as a provider of attractive base vehicles for motorhome manufacturers, we essentially serve almost all segments indirectly. The introduction of the tractor-head variant in particular strengthened our offer in this respect.
Our goal is to continuously grow across all segments in the future.

Aboutcamp BtoB − How important has the availability of all-wheel drive been in the success of Mercedes-Benz within the RV sector, and are you seeing demand continue to grow?
Thomas Klein − The number of motorhomes based on the all-wheel-drive Sprinter is growing steadily. A major catalyst for this was the launch of our so-called Torque-on-Demand all-wheel-drive system at the end of 2021. It distributes the drive power automatically – depending on the situation and within milliseconds – between the front and rear axle. The driver doesn’t have to activate anything manually.
That makes entering the 4×4 world significantly easier and more comfortable, especially for drivers with little off-road experience. At the same time, safety increases when grip conditions change – whether on tracks, gravel or snow. We receive a lot of positive feedback from customers.
Increased ground clearance is also a major benefit. It allows for better ramp and approach/departure angles, and for our customers it is also a key factor from a design perspective. In the competitive environment, this is a distinctive and unique feature.

Aboutcamp BtoB − Beyond the base vehicle itself, what kind of support and cooperation does Mercedes-Benz provide to motorhome manufacturers throughout the development and production process?
Thomas Klein − We work closely with motorhome manufacturers during the development of our own vehicles in order to take their needs and customers’ wishes into account from the start. As a result, various features have found their way into the current Sprinter, alongside the tractor-head variant, that are designed for the motorhome use case – for example the electric parking brake, Hibernation Mode and navigation for trailers and oversized vehicles.
In addition, we support motorhome manufacturers in the development of their body and conversion solutions. This ranges from our so-called bodybuilder guidelines, which provide technical guidance, through to personal advice from our specialist experts.

Aboutcamp BtoB − What major future trends do you expect to shape the European motorhome market over the next five to ten years?
Thomas Klein − One particularly exciting topic will certainly be the continued progress of electrification in the motorhome market – alongside combustion engines, which will also have their place for the foreseeable future.
All newly developed Mercedes-Benz Vans in future will be based on the modular and flexible Mercedes-Benz Van Architecture. Alongside fully electric models, the second version of the Architecture will offer state-of-the-art combustion-engine vans. Motorhomes with the Mercedes star on the bonnet will be based on this Architecture towards the end of the decade.

Aboutcamp BtoB − The RV industry experienced significant supply-chain challenges in recent years. What lessons did Mercedes-Benz learn from that period?
Thomas Klein − It has been and will be a top priority for us to prioritise supply to the motorhome industry.
In future we will enhance our resilience through even greater localisation of our operations and supply chains. We’re building on a strong setup in the U.S. and strengthening our business in Europe.

Aboutcamp BtoB − Electrification is progressing across the commercial vehicle sector. How do you see the transition unfolding in the motorhome industry? What are the main technical and market barriers that still need to be overcome before electric motorhomes can achieve broader adoption?
Thomas Klein − At present, campsites and other customer touchpoints are not yet geared towards electric motorhomes. However, as is currently the case beyond the camping world – when it comes to electric vehicles – we expect the relevant infrastructure to emerge in due course.
Thus, our vision for the future is to see motorhomes based on Mercedes-Benz Vans on the roads both with combustion engines and with electric drive. Our new Van Architecture will enable us to meet these future market and customer demands.

Aboutcamp BtoB − What role would you like Mercedes-Benz to play in that future? And how are you working to give your manufacturing partners long-term visibility and stability on platform availability and product roadmaps?
Thomas Klein − We want to, and will, continue to grow in the motorhome market in the future, meeting customer demands and setting trends. To do so, we will, among other things, continue to work closely with motorhome manufacturers. Stay tuned.