Mercedes-Benz Concept EQA Looks Fantastic, Is Likely Headed for Production

The Mercedes-Benz B250e may be on the chopping block for 2018, but we’d wager the compact-sized hole in the brand’s electric-vehicle lineup won’t be left unfilled for long, as the Mercedes-Benz Concept EQA previews the three-pointed star’s vision for its next-generation compact EV. The first two letters in its name mark it as a member of Benz’s nascent EQ electric-car sub-brand, while the A aligns it with compact cars in the A-class size range, like the A-, B-, CLA-, and GLA-classes. Sleek and sporting short overhangs, the two-door EQA is 6.4 inches lower and 2.8 inches shorter in length than the B250e, but it sits on a wheelbase that’s more than an inch longer.

The EQA’s dynamic looks are augmented by laser-fiber headlights and taillights. The front units are integrated into a blacked-out panel embedded with lights that alter pursuant to the EQA concept’s driving modes. In the normal Sport mode, the panel displays a traditional pair of horizontal light bars that radiate from the center-mounted Mercedes-Benz star. Swapping to Sport Plus makes vertical light bars appear on the panel, giving the EQA concept a mug that mimics the Panamericana grille design of high-performance Mercedes-AMG vehicles such as the GT R coupe.

Equipped with two electric motors—one up front and one at the rear—the Concept EQA pushes more than 268 horsepower and 368 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels. Switching between Sport and Sport Plus also alters the all-wheel-drive hatchback’s torque distribution. The car has enough oomph to get from zero to 60 mph in approximately 5.0 seconds, according to Mercedes.

The German brand envisions the EQA offering multiple battery-pack options, the largest of which will have a charge-capacity of more than 60 kWh and provide a driving range of 249 miles on the optimistic European cycle. Mercedes-Benz notes that charging the floor-mounted battery pack can be done by wireless induction or a typical wall-mounted charger, with the brand noting that the Concept EQA is capable of adding 62 miles of charge to its battery pack in less than 10 minutes when plugged into a rapid charger.

Mercedes-Benz’s first EQ model, the EQC compact crossover, will begin production in Bremen, Germany, in 2019. While no date has been announced for the EQA to begin rolling off an assembly line, we expect the low-slung, compact hatchback to be built sooner rather than later, and to sport a price tag that rivals electric vehicles such as the Tesla Model 3 and the Chevrolet Bolt EV.