2022 Mercedes Benz EQA 300 – Visual Review + POV Test Drive

Описание: Overview of the 2022 Mercedes Benz EQA 300

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQA 300 is a new all-electric crossover SUV that's based on the regular subcompact GLA-class. As part of Mercedes’s EQ sub-brand, which produces fully electric models, the EQA 300 is expected to enter production later this year. Mercedes has only released information on the global model so far but says it is still being considered for entry into the U.S. market. Given the American appetite for luxury SUVs, we think bringing the 2022 EQA here would be a good move. Power comes from an all-electric powertrain that generates 188 horsepower on front-drive models and 268 horses on all-wheel-drive versions, which both source their juice from a battery pack mounted under the floor of the vehicle.

EV Motor, Power, and Performance

Under the hood, the standard EQA250 is powered by a single electric motor that generates 188 horsepower and exclusively feeds the front wheels. We're told there will eventually be a range-optimized EQA as well as an all-wheel-drive configuration with 268 horses. The European version of the front-drive, 188-hp EQA250 that we drove was slowed by its hefty curb weight. While it felt responsive at city speeds, it was considerably more sluggish above 60 mph. Mercedes estimates it'll accelerate from zero to 62 mph in an unimpressive 8.9 seconds, and its top speed is electronically limited to 99 mph. The more powerful EQA should help offset its mass, but we can't say whether it'll change its ride and handling. As it stands, we were unimpressed with Mercedes's listless body control, intrusive stability-control system, and numb brake-pedal feel.

Range, Charging, and Battery Life

The EQA will use a 66.5-kWh battery pack to deliver between 200- and 250-miles of driving range. That range figure is important because it means that it can compete with similarly priced rivals such as the Tesla Model 3 sedan and Model Y SUV.