Mercedes-Benz will only reveal the new EQA on January 20, and has dropped another teaser of the latest member of the EQ family. However, we now have preliminary details of the all-electric SUV thanks to a report by Autocar UK.
First up, here’s what we know so far. The EQA will be the sister model the H247 GLA, sharing the same MFA (Modular Front Architecture) used by the company’s other compact models. This isn’t a dedicated EV platform, as that will come much later with the introduction of the Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture (MMA) for compact and mid-sized models – the company’s EV plans are detailed here.
With the EQA, the platform had to be re-engineered to accept an all-electric powertrain, which sees a lithium-ion battery pack being placed within the rear section of raised floor, including under the rear seats. According to the report, this results in smaller boot space compared to a regular GLA. As before, the EQA retains the GLA’s suspension setup: front MacPherson struts and rear multi-link.
At launch, an EQA 250 variant will be offered with a 66-kWh lithium-ion battery capable of up to 401 km (249 miles) of range, and this powers a front-mounted, ZF-sourced 190 PS (188 hp or 140 kW) electric motor. The SUV will support both 11 kW AC and 100 kW DC charging, but there’s no information on how long each will take just yet.
The German automaker has already confirmed that all-wheel drive versions and higher power levels up to over 272 PS (268 hp or 200 kW) will be introduced, and this also includes a performance-focused AMG model.
In terms of operation, the EQA is pretty similar to the GLA as it uses the same push start button and column-mounted gear lever. However, the steering wheel-mounted paddles are not used to change gears, but to adjust the car’s energy recuperation system, with four different modes to modify the braking characteristics when you lift off the accelerator pedal. One-pedal-style driving is possible using the most aggressive “D–” setting, while “D+” promotes coasting.
As for the looks, it’s pretty much a GLA but with EQ-specific cues like a blanked-off grille and specific lighting units. The same can be said of the interior, which has been reworked to sport EQ-themed displays and graphics. Full details of the EQA will be released when the model makes its full debut, so stay tuned.
GALLERY: Mercedes-Benz EQA spyshots
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