Mercedes-Benz unveils EQA electric crossover with less than 300 miles of range

Mercedes-Benz has thrown the curtain on the EQA crossover, its latest electric vehicle as part of a list of new electric vehicles planned for years to come. The compact SUV will have a range of less than 300 miles, a battery of 66.5 kWh and a net list price of € 39,950 ($ 48,442).

The EQA, which is based on the German automaker’s GLA SUV class, is expected to go into production this year in Europe, but likely won’t be available in the US anytime soon. That said, a spokesperson for Daimler, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz, said the EQA is still under consideration for the US market.

Buyers of American cars had better wait for the EQB electric crossover, which will be closely related to the boxier GLB-class vehicle. The EQB is also slated to go into production later this year. Meanwhile, the EQS and EQE models will be the first electric vehicles built on Mercedes’ new modular electric vehicle platform.

The EQA is built on the same vehicle platform as the $ 68,000 EQC SUV, which was due to start shipping to the United States in early 2020, but has been pushed back until 2021. And as with the ‘EQC, Mercedes is banking on the new European driving cycle. (NEDC) to estimate the range of 486 kilometers (300 miles) for the EEQ.

This is unfortunate because the NEDC standard is widely considered to be obsolete and is being replaced by the World Harmonized Test Procedure for Light Vehicles (WLTP) which is supposed to be a bit more stringent. The United States Environmental Protection Agency conducts its own tests to establish range estimates for electric cars, which tended to be lower than the NEDC and are considered closer to actual performance. If and when the EQA arrives in the United States, it is very likely that its range estimated by the EPA will be less than 300 miles.

The EQA, which will be launched as “EQA 250”, will have a 66.5 kWh battery, which is slightly above the average for electric vehicles currently in circulation. Tesla’s largest battery is 100 kWh, available in Model S and Model X, which is one of the largest batteries currently available.

The EQA will start in Germany at € 47,540.50. Mercedes says it plans to release additional variations of the crossover, including an all-wheel drive version with an additional electric powertrain that increases power output to 200 kW or more, while also offering a version with more range. 500 kilometers (310 miles). ) based on the WLTP standard.

Interested buyers will have a few options when it comes to the interior of the EQA. They can choose either two 7-inch displays for the instrument cluster and the main infotainment screen, or a large-screen variant with two 10.25-inch screens. It won’t have Mercedes-Benz’s recently revealed gigantic, pillar-to-pillar 56-inch touchscreen, which will debut in the upcoming EQS luxury electric sedan.

The EQA will come standard with the automaker’s second-generation MBUX infotainment system that bypasses physical buttons in favor of a fully digital (and voice-controlled) in-car user experience.

Mercedes-Benz sees the EQA as an “entry point” into the automaker’s growing family of electric vehicles. More modest than the EQC SUV, the new crossover is sure to find its fair share of interested buyers. The question is whether the German automaker can compete for curious electric vehicle buyers when Volkswagen, Tesla, BMW and others appear to be advancing at a faster pace.