Mercedes-Benz has taken the wraps off the new EQA – an electric SUV.
The all-electric brother to the GLA, it is the newest addition to the Mercedes-EQ range.
“Offering an excellent compromise between performance, costs, and time to market, the EQA is the first all-electric member of the compact car vehicle from Mercedes-Benz,” said the company.
The starting price for the launch model – the EQA 250 – in Germany is €47,540 (R861,000).
Details
At launch, only the EQA 250 will be offered, which generates 140kW of power and has a claimed range of 486 kilometres.
Additional variants will follow in one of two ways:
- More powerful all-wheel-drive models that feature an additional electric powertrain and a minimum output of 200kW.
- More efficient models that have a minimum range of 500 kilometres.
The company adds that they are looking towards improvement in the efficiency of vehicle components to reach these goals, rather than the constant expansion of battery sizes and capacities.
A new navigation system with “Electric Intelligence” also calculates the route that will get you from A to B the fastest by taking into account complex factors such as necessary charging stops, topography of the land, and weather situations.
Additionally, customers will have access to Mercedes Me Charge – the largest charging network in the world, according to Mercedes-Benz.
The network currently consists of more than 450,000 AC and DC charging ports across 31 countries.
Efficiency
High efficiency was an important consideration when making the EQA, and it is the first EQ model whose aerodynamic development took place entirely digitally.
Another contributory factor to efficiency is the fitment of a standard heat pump that uses waste heat from the electric drivetrain to heat the passenger cell, reducing the need for the batteries to power the air conditioning system.
Keeping in line with the rest of the Mercedes range, the electric powertrain was carefully isolated from the chassis and body in order to reduce high levels of noise and vibration.
Every EQA will feature Active Lane Keeping Assist and Active Brake Assist as standard. The latter of which is able to autonomously brake the vehicle to prevent accidents, said the company.
A more advanced Driving Assistance Package can also be optioned.
This includes more sophisticated safety features – for example, a turning manoeuvre function, emergency corridor function, exit warning function alerting the driver to approaching cyclists or vehicles, and a warning when pedestrians are detected near road crossings.
The body
The body of the existing GLA was used as a structure for the EQA and adapted to fit the needs of the electric powertrain.
The battery sits in a specially developed frame and fulfils structural tasks, there is a battery guard installed to avoid piercing of the cells, and all components of the car went through stringent procedures to ensure the customer’s safety.
A black panel radiator grille and the iconic star signifying the brand can be found on the front of the vehicle, while the rest of the body was also paid a visit by the EQ designers as it features continuous light strips at the front and rear.
Full-LED lights, a blue strip in the headlamps, and a tail lamp design that blends into the rear LED strip are also included.
Some variants of the new EQA will feature a back-lit trim elements – a first for Mercedes-Benz – and further accent details such as rose gold-coloured decorative elements on the key, seats, and ventilation outlets.
Options
The new EQA SUV can be purchased in two equipment lines – Electric Art and AMG – and is further personalisable through the Night Package.
The standard features include:
- Reversing camera.
- 18-inch light-alloy wheels.
- Ambient lighting with 64 colours.
- Leather multifunction steering wheel.
- Luxury seats with four-way adjustable lumbar support.
- Easy-Pack tailgate with electrically-operated opening and closing.
- LED headlamps with adaptive highbeam assist.
Mercedes-Benz EQA – Photos
Keyword: Mercedes-Benz launches new electric SUV – The EQA