Photo: Mercedes-Benz
It’s been nearly three years since German carmaker Mercedes-Benz presented the EQA electric concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and the production version is nearing its official market launch. Scheduled to take place at the end of the year, the arrival of the EQA will mark an important move by the brand in the compact class.
With the Geneva Motor Show just around the corner, Mercedes decided it’s time to fight all those unofficial spyshots of the car with some official pics, showing the car as it undergoes winter testing somewhere in the far north of Sweden.
The current test procedures are centered around the thermal management of the battery, including how well or how fast it can be charged in winter conditions. Driving safety, traction and energy recovery are also under review by German engineers.
The production EQA is based on the current version of the GLA, which in effect makes it a compact crossover. Unlike its ICE-powered sibling tough, it sports a new front end – dictated by the less imperative need of having a grille.
Officially, Mercedes said nothing about the capabilities of the electric crossover, but word is the car will use a medium-sized battery - at or around 60 kWh, although because of the 80 kWh deployed on the EQC, we are entitled to hope for more - that will feed power to a pair of electric motors.
There’s no telling how much power the motors will develop, or what the range of the EQA will be, but because the EQC is the only existing electric Mercedes we can relate to, we’ll do just that.
The crossover SUV entered production last year with a range of up to 471 km (292 miles) and a troop measuring 407 hp. That’s enough for an acceleration time of 5.1 seconds from 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) and a top speed of 112 mph (180 kph).
Sure, that’s not very impressive in a world where EVs can do so much better, but these numbers are reason to hope the next MB EV, the EQA, will be even better.
The current test procedures are centered around the thermal management of the battery, including how well or how fast it can be charged in winter conditions. Driving safety, traction and energy recovery are also under review by German engineers.
The production EQA is based on the current version of the GLA, which in effect makes it a compact crossover. Unlike its ICE-powered sibling tough, it sports a new front end – dictated by the less imperative need of having a grille.
Officially, Mercedes said nothing about the capabilities of the electric crossover, but word is the car will use a medium-sized battery - at or around 60 kWh, although because of the 80 kWh deployed on the EQC, we are entitled to hope for more - that will feed power to a pair of electric motors.
There’s no telling how much power the motors will develop, or what the range of the EQA will be, but because the EQC is the only existing electric Mercedes we can relate to, we’ll do just that.
The crossover SUV entered production last year with a range of up to 471 km (292 miles) and a troop measuring 407 hp. That’s enough for an acceleration time of 5.1 seconds from 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) and a top speed of 112 mph (180 kph).
Sure, that’s not very impressive in a world where EVs can do so much better, but these numbers are reason to hope the next MB EV, the EQA, will be even better.
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