2021 Mercedes EQA Revealed As The Brand’s Smallest, Most Affordable EV

Mercedes has just unveiled the new EQA, the brand’s smallest EV to date and the entry point of the EQ model range.

Based on the Mercedes GLA, the new EQA debuts in its base EQA 250 form which uses an electric motor with 187 HP (190 PS) and 276 lb-ft (375 Nm) of torque driving the front wheels and fed by a 66.5 kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

Mercedes hasn’t finalized yet the WLTP test cycle of the EQA 250, saying it offers an estimated 264 miles (426 km) of driving range on a full charge. The NEDC driving range -which is generally more generous than WLTP- is 302 miles (486 km).

The Mercedes EQA 250 will be followed by more variants of the new compact electric crossover; the German carmaker says that it’s working on “a whole family of EQA models”, which will offer front- and all-wheel-drive, a power output of over 268 HP in the flagship variant, as well as a special version with a driving range of over 310 miles (500 km) on the WLTP.

As expected, the Mercedes EQA shares the same bodyshell with the GLA, with the new electric model featuring a black panel “grille”, new full-LED headlights, new LED taillights that are now merged with an LED strip, new bumpers, as well as new light-alloy wheel designs. And since this is an EQ product, there’s a lot of blue details scattered around.

The story is similar once you step inside; the new EQA shares the same dashboard layout with its ICE-powered sibling, only here you’ll find different trim elements and light effects. The twin 10.25-inch displays are optional, with base models getting a pair of 7-inch displays. The cutout area in front of the passenger can be finished in a “spiral look” trim which is backlit with the aid of fiber optics.

The infotainment system features ‘Navigation with Electric Intelligence’, which is able to plan the fastest route with charging stops and can react dynamically to changes, like traffic hold-ups. In addition, with the Mercedes me Charge, customers will have access to a network of 450,000 AC and DC charging points across 31 countries, including the Ionity network.

The new Mercedes EQA comes with an 11 kW onboard charger as standard and can be charged with a maximum output of 100 kW at a DC fast-charge station. Mercedes says that when plugged into a DC fast charger, the EQA can be charged from 10 to 80 percent in around 30 minutes. The battery pack comes with a heat pump as standard.

As standard, the new Mercedes EQA will come with a comfort suspension with steel springs, but the carmaker will also offer adaptive dampers as an option. More powerful variants of the EQA will employ a second electric motor at the rear axle, therefore featuring all-wheel-drive. The rear unit will be a permanently excited synchronous motor while the front unit is an asynchronous motor, with the 4Matic system to adjust 100 times per second the distribution of the torque.

Sales of the new Mercedes EQA will begin in Europe this spring, with prices in its home market in Germany starting from 38,540 euros (around $46,700 in current exchange rates), including local rebates.

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