Chasing the streamline
It is impossible to imagine Mercedes-Benz without the electric EQ models. It started five years ago with the EQC and two and a half years later, reinforcement came in the form of the EQA. After that, the focus has largely shifted to the higher segments, but now the Germans are once again preparing a compact EQ. A sedan, so really a little brother of the EQE and EQS.
With the arrival of the EQE, EQS and its SUV brothers, Mercedes-Benz’s electric model range in the higher segments has already expanded nicely. Lower in the range it is even quieter. The EQA, EQB and EQC serve that corner of the market, but all three are SUVs. Those who prefer a somewhat lower, more streamlined electric car in those segments cannot yet go to Mercedes-Benz. But soon. Because there is an electrically powered C-class equivalent in the barrel, and while the regular A-class clears the field, an (admittedly higher in the market) electric model will return.
The ‘EQA sedan’ is next to the existing EQA in the range, logically the EQA should therefore go through life as an EQA SUV from that moment on and the newcomer should simply be called EQA. That would at least be in line with the strategy that Mercedes is currently using in the higher segments. But the Germans are said to be completely scrapping the EQ designation by 2025, so another name cannot be ruled out. For the sake of convenience, we will now only talk about the EQA.
Compact sedan
Recently he gave his first sign of life, hidden under a thick layer of camouflage material. That could not hide the fact that it will be a compact sedan that shows similarities with the EQE and EQS as well as the A-class Limousine and CLA. The CLA in particular seems to have served as a model for the shape of the EQA. So it not only fills the gap left by the A-class Limousine, but will also function as an electric alternative to the CLA. With the EQE and EQS, Mercedes-Benz already showed that the hunt for the lowest possible Cd value leads to an extremely slippery body.
Mercedes-Benz EQA sedan (illustration: Larson).
With the EQA, Mercedes-Benz seems to go a little less far. The latest EQ offspring has a more traditional line pattern with a clear nose and butt. Indeed with the focus on aerodynamic efficiency, only just a little less extreme. In any case, as our illustrator shows here, expect a closed panel in the place where you would normally expect a grille. That is completely in line with the other EQ models. Of course, the headlights and taillights are visually connected to each other with a bar of LED lighting. Entirely as it seems to be ‘must’ nowadays in the car world and it is a typical EQ feature. Striking detail: the spotted prototype did not have recessed handles and you would expect that. We are cautiously aiming for the production model to have it soon.
New base
Not only does Mercedes go a little less far with the EQA than with the EQE and EQS, the technical basis is also different. The EQA, like the other yet to be revealed compact models, rests on a new basis. This so-called MMA platform is intended for both fuel engines and electric propulsion. No dedicated EV platform, but ‘electric first’. It must be especially suitable for battery packs and electric motors, which should enable better performance than, for example, the existing EQA and EQC. After all, they are still based on a base that is mainly intended for fuel engines. We can count on very fast charging (up to 350 kW) with models on the MMA basis. The range of the EQA is undoubtedly well over 500 km. Everything will be clear in 2024, because then we expect the revelation.
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