Photo: Stefan Baldauf / SB-Medien
Mercedes will focus on electric vehicles beginning in 2025, with the Stuttgart-based automaker planning to sell nothing but electric vehicles by 2030. To achieve this ambitious goal, the German manufacturer has committed no fewer than 40 billion euros (42-ish billion dollars).
2025 will also mark the introduction of three new electric vehicle platforms: MB.EA for medium to large vehicles, AMG.EA for performance vehicles, and VAN.EA for light commercial vehicles. The brand’s compact-sized electric vehicles will soldier on with MFA2 underpinnings for the foreseeable future, whereas next-generation models are expected on the MMA platform.
The compacts in question are the EQA crossover and slightly roomier EQB crossover, with the EQT van also worthy of mention despite featuring Renault-Nissan underpinnings. Both the EQA and EQB have been recently spied hiding their mid-cycle facelifts under camouflage, with the spy photographers focusing more on the better-selling EQB. The prototypes both feature redesigned bumpers and front grilles, and the camouflage also allows us to see a new taillight motif.
Other than visual updates, Merc will also work its magic on the interior. The MBUX touchscreen infotainment system is understandably covered, which leads us to believe that something has changed in this regard. It’s obviously still MBUX, although the software and hardware alike may have been updated to keep the EQA and EQB fresh in the ever-crowded compact segment.
Both are hideously expensive despite their footprints, with the EQA retailing at 50,777.30 euros (53,900 dollars) and the EQB at 52,550.40 euros (55,750 dollars) in their home market of Germany. For reference, the larger Tesla Model Y is 44,890 EUR (47,630 USD).
On paper, the figures that actually matter are slightly better than those of the Model Y. As opposed to 455 kilometers (283 miles) of WLTP-rated driving range for the Tesla in base specification, the Mercs are listed by the online configurator with up to 531 kilometers (330 miles) for the EQA and up to 474 (295) for the EQB.
The EQA and EQB both come in four distinct flavors, beginning with the front-wheel drive 250 series that packs 190 metric horsepower (187 mechanical horsepower) and 493/471 kilometers (306/293 miles) of range. The most efficient and longest-range variant is the 250+, which features a slightly larger lithium-ion pack (70.5 kWh, as opposed to 66.5 for the other variants).
Mercedes uses the 4MATIC designation for the 300 and 350, referring to a dual-motor configuration. The zero to 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour) estimates are 7.7/8 seconds and 6.0/6.2 seconds, respectively. The 300 belts out 228 ps (225 horsepower) on full song, whereas the 350 can summon up to 292 ps (288 horsepower).
Even though Mercedes doesn’t sell the EQA stateside, the EQB is available from a cool $54,500 sans destination charge. American customers are offered two choices, namely the 4MATIC-equipped 300 and 350.
The compacts in question are the EQA crossover and slightly roomier EQB crossover, with the EQT van also worthy of mention despite featuring Renault-Nissan underpinnings. Both the EQA and EQB have been recently spied hiding their mid-cycle facelifts under camouflage, with the spy photographers focusing more on the better-selling EQB. The prototypes both feature redesigned bumpers and front grilles, and the camouflage also allows us to see a new taillight motif.
Other than visual updates, Merc will also work its magic on the interior. The MBUX touchscreen infotainment system is understandably covered, which leads us to believe that something has changed in this regard. It’s obviously still MBUX, although the software and hardware alike may have been updated to keep the EQA and EQB fresh in the ever-crowded compact segment.
Both are hideously expensive despite their footprints, with the EQA retailing at 50,777.30 euros (53,900 dollars) and the EQB at 52,550.40 euros (55,750 dollars) in their home market of Germany. For reference, the larger Tesla Model Y is 44,890 EUR (47,630 USD).
On paper, the figures that actually matter are slightly better than those of the Model Y. As opposed to 455 kilometers (283 miles) of WLTP-rated driving range for the Tesla in base specification, the Mercs are listed by the online configurator with up to 531 kilometers (330 miles) for the EQA and up to 474 (295) for the EQB.
The EQA and EQB both come in four distinct flavors, beginning with the front-wheel drive 250 series that packs 190 metric horsepower (187 mechanical horsepower) and 493/471 kilometers (306/293 miles) of range. The most efficient and longest-range variant is the 250+, which features a slightly larger lithium-ion pack (70.5 kWh, as opposed to 66.5 for the other variants).
Mercedes uses the 4MATIC designation for the 300 and 350, referring to a dual-motor configuration. The zero to 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour) estimates are 7.7/8 seconds and 6.0/6.2 seconds, respectively. The 300 belts out 228 ps (225 horsepower) on full song, whereas the 350 can summon up to 292 ps (288 horsepower).
Even though Mercedes doesn’t sell the EQA stateside, the EQB is available from a cool $54,500 sans destination charge. American customers are offered two choices, namely the 4MATIC-equipped 300 and 350.
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