Mercedes-Benz EQA debuts as the automaker's entry-level EV
The EQA has great standard tech and a handsome face, but we don't yet know if it'll come to the US.
It's a slightly more futuristic take on the GLA format, and we like it.
Mercedes-Benz teased its entry-level EQA crossover earlier this week, but now it's officially here. Well, not here here; the company isn't saying for sure if the EQA will come to the US. Nevertheless, the EQA made its debut online on Wednesday, and we definitely like what we see.
The diminutive electro-Benz will launch in Europe as the EQA250 and offer 188 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque, though more powerful versions with as much as 268 hp are set to arrive before too long. Power comes from a 66.5-kWh battery, and Mercedes-Benz says the front-wheel-drive EQA250 can sprint to 62 mph in 8.9 seconds before topping out at 99 mph. All-wheel-drive variants will arrive in the future, as well.
Initial estimates quote a range of 301 miles for the EQA250, though that's on the New European Driving Cycle. Should the EQA be offered in the US, the EPA-estimated range will likely be lower.
The EQA's interior is similar to what you'll find in the gas-powered GLA.
Mercedes is offering the EQA with its predictive Navigation with Electric Intelligence feature that helps choose the fastest route to your destination while also factoring in possible charge times and your driving habits, as well as things like weather or traffic conditions. Other tech features like lane-keeping assist and automatic emergency braking are standard.
Other cool goodies include a built-in heat pump, which takes excess heat generated by the battery pack and uses it to condition the passenger compartment. This technology is becoming more common; Tesla offers it in the Model Y crossover, for example. The benefit to having this tech is less draw on the pack for climate control, resulting in better range.
Back to the EQA's US availability, though. When asked, a Mercedes representative told us, "The EQA is still being considered for the US market at this time. Stay tuned for more details in the coming months." That's not an outright no, but it's not a yes, either. Mercedes-Benz has ambitious plans to offer more EVs both in the US and abroad. But keep in mind, we were supposed to get the electric EQC a while back, too, and it still isn't on sale in the States.
The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQA250 is set to hit European showrooms this spring with a starting price (in Germany) of 47,540 euros (around $57,688 at the time of publication).
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