Mercedes-Benz EQA. Photo Credit- electrek
Mercedes has showed off footage of its prototype EQA, the compact EV that is part of its next-generation of EQ electric cars. It first unveiled the A-Class-sized electric car at the Frankfurt Auto Show last year, but it is now apparently has a working prototype.
It is expected to have a 60 kWh battery pack that will yield a 200 to 250 mile range, and electric drive-train that will propel it from 0 to 60 mph in around five seconds. A DC quick-charging system will allow the driver to add 60 miles or so of range in just ten minutes.
To achieve this purpose, Mercedes is investing $589 million at its Hambach plant in northeast France where it plans to build the EQA (that’s where the Smart car is currently built).
However, the first car to be released in the EQ lineup will be the electric EQC SUV, recently revealed in camouflaged mule form, which could come to market as early as next year. It is also building the EQS, an EV equivalent to its S-class sedans.
All three EQ electric vehicles just happen to match up against Tesla models, with the EQA taking on the Model 3, the EQS competing with the Model S, and the EQC matching up against Tesla’s Model X. Mercedes hasn’t revealed the pricing of any of the vehicles yet, of course, nor when the EQS and EQA would come to market.
In terms of design, the EQA looks pretty cool, with its smooth aerodynamics and red and blue lighting scheme. Though it is just a prototype, the final production vehicle may not look exactly the same.
