Yahoo Autos 2021 Mercedes-Benz EQA250 Is a Half-Hearted EV
What does an electric future look like? Driving the newest electric vehicles usually provides a picture of the latest and greatest in EV progress, but the Mercedes-Benz EQA is more like a snapshot of the recent past. Based on the internal-combustion GLA rather than a standalone platform, the EQA seems to hail from the first generation of EVs—slow, with limited range, trading more on perceived virtuosity than actual virtue. In terms of performance, it has a long way to go to catch a current Nissan Leaf or Chevrolet Bolt, let alone cars of a similar price range, such as the Ford Mustang Mach-E or Tesla Model 3.
The EQA, which we drove on its home turf near Stuttgart, Germany, this week, at least looks the part of a Mercedes. It's entry-level opulence at its finest, especially when the Electric Art version is specified, with black and rose-gold seats, rose-gold air vents, and backlit decor strips on the dashboard. Our test car was thus equipped and also showcased the plethora of electronic gadgets that populate the compact Mercedes models.
Outside, the EQA shares its sheetmetal with the GLA, but Gorden Wagener's design team has really uncluttered the front and rear ends to align this little electric crossover with the other offerings under the Mercedes EQ subbrand. The EQA-exclusive wheels look suitably futuristic and no doubt help reduce drag.
As in the gas-powered GLA, the EQA's powerplant, in this case a 188-hp induction motor, is fitted under the hood and drives the front axle through a single-speed gear set. This means there is no space for a front trunk and the rear load floor is slightly raised to make room for the 66.5-kWh battery pack. The floor is also raised, which creates a less comfortable experience in the rear seat. There is plenty of space between the rear bench and the front seats, but the elevated floor forces the rear passengers into a slightly froglike position. The cabin is otherwise comfortable and well appointed, as it is in the GLA.
In Europe the EQA250, the only currently available model, is priced slightly above the 221-hp GLA250, whose performance it fails to match (and by a considerable margin). The 188-hp motor, which produces 277 pound-feet of torque, is hampered by the EQA's remarkable heft. It tips the scales at almost 4500 pounds. The immediate response of the motor makes this car fun to drive in the city, but Mercedes's claimed zero-to-62-mph time of 8.9 seconds is far in arrears of either the GLA250 (zero to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds) or any EV that might remotely be considered a competitor. Beyond 60 mph, performance trails off, and the EQA250 is electronically limited to 99 mph. We feel it could do perhaps another 15 mph, which would help matters on the autobahn but likely put a major dent in the range.
