Mercedes-Benz has taken the camouflage off the all-electric version of the GLA. The EQA is expected to arrive at European dealerships sometime in March, with prices starting at €47,540 (includes 19% VAT and excludes government bonus) in Germany. At launch, there’ll be the EQA 250 (FWD), followed by more powerful and AWD variants.
As for trims, there’ll be a base model, Electric Art and AMG Line. The photos here feature the EQA 250 Edition 1 and EQA 250 AMG Line. Unlike the grille with louvers in the EQC, the EQA gets a fully closed black panel. The side intakes on the bumper are closed as well, and the only place the air can get in is through the lower slit; the lower section features adjustable radiator shutters. The side profile looks typical, while the rear-end gets a connected taillight signature.
The underbody is smooth as there are no transmission tunnel, fuel tank and exhaust system, which has contributed to a drag coefficient of 0.28 Cd. As standard, the car rides on 18-inch light-alloy wheels, while there are options for up to 20-inch ones. The Edition 1 rides on 20-inch, rosé gold-coloured AMG multispoke wheels. Standard equipment includes LED headlights with Adaptive Highbeam Assist.
For those interested to know the dimensions, the EQA measures 4,463 mm long, 2,020 mm wide (including mirrors) and 1,620 mm tall. Its wheelbase of 2,729 mm is identical to the GLA.
As for suspension, all EQA models get MacPherson struts at the front and four-link (multi-link) at the rear. Steel springs are standard, while the Adaptive Damping System can be found in the options list. Unlike the EQC, the EQA doesn’t get any self-leveling rear air suspension.
The cabin, especially the dashboard, looks very similar to that of the GLA. The MBUX display units are available in two variants: two 7-inch or two 10.25-inch displays. The passenger side of the dashboard has a special texture, which is backlit in Electric Art, AMG Line and Edition 1 models. Depending on the trim, the materials in the cabin include titanium grey Artico leather (artificial leather) with ‘Jalaya’ rosé gold-coloured fabric; the fabric is made from recycled PET bottles.
The EQA comes with a heat pump as standard, where the waste heat from the electric drive system (inverter and electric motor) is recycled to heat the cabin. The pre-entry climate control function enables the owners to set the desired temperature via the Mercedes me App.
As for safety and driver assistance, the EQA gets Active Lane Keeping Assist and Active Brake Assist as standard. Depending on the market, the optional Driving Assistance Package includes Active Distance Assist Distronic, Active Steer Assist, Active Speed Limit Assist, Evasive Steering Assist, Active Blind Spot Assist, and Pre-Safe Plus.
Moving on to the business end of the story then, the EQA 250 gets a single Asynchronous motor on the front axle, developing 140 kW (190 metric hp) and 375 Nm (277 lb-ft) of torque. Mercedes claims a 0-100 km/h (62 mph) acceleration time of 8.9 seconds and a top speed of 160 km/h (99 mph). The battery pack is of a 66.5 kWh usable capacity, which is claimed to offer an NEDC range of up to 486 km (301 mi).
The battery pack is capable of 100 kW DC fast-charging, and if found a fast-charging station, 10-80% SoC is claimed to be achieved in about 30 minutes. The SUV comes with a 11 kW onboard AC charger. Charging via a Wallbox takes 5 hours and 45 minutes.
The EQA is being built in Rastatt (Germany) and Beijing (China). The battery systems are supplied by the Mercedes-Benz subsidiary Accumotive in Kamenz. The battery factory in Jawor, Poland, is also preparing to produce battery systems for the compact Mercedes-EQ models.
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