Mercedes is planning on rapidly expanding its electric car offering this year, with the arrival of the likes of the EQS luxury saloon, the EQV MPV, the EQB seven-seat SUV, and this - the EQA.
Big battery for long range
Just about to arrive on the Irish market, with a basic price tag of €51,125 (inclusive of the SEAI grant) the EQA is, fairly obviously, based on the regular petrol-and-diesel GLA. It's packing some serious battery power, though, with a 66kWh battery that's good enough - at an average electric consumption of 15.7kWh/100km - to drive for 426km before needing to charge up again. That's competitive with the likes of Volkswagen's ID.3 and basic versions of the Tesla Model 3 and incoming Model Y.
Although we'd hardly call it cheap, Mercedes Ireland is hoping that the EQA's combination of funky styling, and that all-electric range, will allow it to appeal to younger, more environmentally sensitive buyers. "The arrival of EQA will allow Irish owners to "future-proof" their motoring," says Ciaran Allen, sales manager for Mercedes-Benz in Ireland. "With a stylish, highly-equipped model designed to meet all known environmental standards in an enjoyable and responsible way."
Progressive Line specification
That €51,125 will get you an EQA in Progressive Line spec, which comes with the usual MBUX digital dashboard (complete with Hey, Mercedes digital voice assistant) along with high-performance headlamps with adaptive high beam assist, electrically operated tailgate, 18-inch alloys, and 64-colour ambient lighting. Additional appointments include luxury seating with adjustable lumbar support, reversing camera and leather sports steering wheel. You can also choose from a 'Night Package' and two design and equipment lines - Electric Art and AMG Line.
Low drag figure
The EQA has clearly been designed with high efficiency in mind - not only does it have an impressive 0.28Cd drag coefficient (helped by aerodynamic features that include front and rear aprons, smooth underbody, closed cooling air system, and wind-optimised wheels with spoilers), it also uses a heat-pump system (which scavenges waste heat from the battery cooling pack) to keep the cabin warm on chilly days.
Safety kit includes driver and front passenger airbags, driver's knee bag, and first and second-row window bags. Front side airbags are also standard.