How Does Mercedes’ Baby EV Fit the EQAtion?

Mercedes’ Smallest EQA EV is the Electric Answer. Or Is It?

This smallest of Mercedes’ new-age all-electric EQ brand,  EQA is a conventional GLA compact crossover at heart. This one has however had its sinful combustion engine, gearbox and fuel tank ripped out and replaced by a 190 HP 284 lb.-ft electric motor and a half-tonne 66.5 kWh battery in the floor.

It’s called the EQA 250 because its in-town performance, more or less matches its GLA 250 petrol siblings’. That motor drives the front wheels. Fully charged, the battery gives you about 255 miles of range. We managed closer to 210 in the real world. Or less than half the distance of its similarly numbered GLA twin. And about a third of the 220d. We tried very hard to get that range, but like all EVs, this one suffers in fast freeway cruising.

Surgically Removed From Combustion Kin

EQA is cosmetically surgically removed from its GLA family by means of a solid plastic grille and smart standalone headlamps. Never mind wheels you’d swear were developed to work at supersonic speed. Let’s hope that they actually recover something back from the car’s electric compromises.

It’s also significantly re-fettled inside. You know, to remind you that you’re driving an electric car. In case your range anxiety causes you to forget. Look, it’s all basically GLA kit in there, which is not at all a bad thing. Good quality, it has premium screens for the My Mercedes infotainment, and the driver gauges. The difference is its all finished in zany electro-futuristic hues and textures. Oh-la-la!

That however comes with another compromise. Relying on combustion roots does not do the EQA too many favours. All that electric kit eats up valuable cabin and boot space, compromising the family convenience its piston kin boasts. The rear seats are cramped. And it’s really uncomfortable for people with size 12 boots in the back.

Electric Kit Brings Newfound EQA Heft

All its electric kit brings newfound heft too. Causes the EQA to feel cumbersome, contributes to it being neither exciting to drive nor quick. That translates to shocking road manners as this little car tries in vain to absorb rougher road shock. It struggles to turn at elevated speeds and woe betide, try stop it smartly on anything beyond billiard table smooth tarmac.

It also feels a little unsorted in certain areas of its operation. There’s a rude transition between conventional and regenerative braking, for instance. That can become disconcerting as it feels like the motor is trying to climb out. The EQA 250 also lacks some surprising spec for what it is. You’d expect more in a Merc at this price.

On the flipside, the EQA 250 actually feels like a Mercedes. A good thing, considering that the men and women who made it, went out of their way to achieve that. So it’s refined and reassuring on a smooth road. EQA also possesses a cool ambience to give you a wonderfully ticklish feeling that you’re actually doing something about the environment.

Is EQA a Real GLA Compromise?

The point is, that this car is a non-starter. Especially in South Africa, where I type away this conclusion in the middle of another four hours of load shedding. If this car’s battery was flat, what would I do? If I was driving a GLA 250 I’d just fill up at the local gas station, because they have a generator and still pump fuel anytime.

Even in a global sense, I feel compromised by this car. It has a fraction of the range of its gas kin and costs a hell of a lot more. While it feels fine, it is awful on rougher surfaces, does not like to turn or stop and cannot go half the distance of its combustion siblings on a charge. Which will take at least ten times longer to recharge, than to top those cars up.

The tiniest cracks are starting to show on that EV armour. For good reason, too. Especially when electric cars like this have quicker, cheaper, nimbler, more spacious, and far more user friendly, dare we say, combustion siblings in the range. Now let’s see if those cracks stop. Or if they rupture wildly, as some critics predict.

On this evidence, there’s not very much going for EVs. No matter how much sugar they baste the pill with…

ROAD TESTED: Mercedes EQA 250
Motor: 190 HP 284 lb.-ft asynchronous electric
Drive: Direct Drive FWD
TESTED:
0-40 mph:    3.77 sec
0-60 mph:    7.85 sec
0-80 mph:    10.75 sec
¼-mile:      15.7 sec @ 92 mph
50-75 mph:   5.17 sec
CLAIMED:
VMax:        100 mph
Energy:      17.7 kWh/100 km
Range:       250 miles
RATED:       7

Images: Giordano Lupini

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