Mercedes unveils EQA, its affordable electric car

Compact battery-powered hatchback arrives locally mid-year, giving customers an alternative to the likes of Tesla.

The new Mercedes-EQ EQA 250 arrives locally mid-year.

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the second chapter in its electric car story.

Pitched as a smaller, more affordable cousin to the full-sized Mercedes-Benz EQC, the new Mercedes-Benz EQA electric car is a compact hatchback designed for urban drivers.

There are two kinds of electric cars.

Some are built on dedicated platforms designed purely for battery-powered machines, an exclusive club including the upcoming Mercedes-Benz EQS, plus Porsche’s Taycan, the Jaguar I-Pace and Tesla’s EV range.

The new Mercedes-Benz EQA has close ties to its GLA-class cousin.

Other models have close ties to conventionally-powered machines.

The new Mercedes-Benz EQA falls into the latter camp, taking the form of a Mercedes GLA compact crossover adapted for use as an electric car.

It has the same fundamental tech as the GLA, including a comprehensive safety suite and the marque’s lauded MBUX dual-screen infotainment system.

The EQA’s cabin is closely related to conventionally powered compact Mercedes models.

Similar in size to the GLA, the compact EQA 250 drops its petrol engine in favour of a 140kW/375Nm electric motor driving the front wheels.

The combination delivers a claimed 0-100km/h time of 8.9 seconds, which is surprisingly tardy until you factor in the EQA’s hefty 2040 kilogram weight.

Mercedes says a 66.5kWh battery mounted in the floor gives the compact model around 486 kilometres of range according to the generous NEDC standard.

Like the Mercedes-Benz EQC (pictured), the EQA shares its bones with a regular ‘Benz.

That makes it less powerful, with a good deal less range than Hyundai’s similar-sized Kona Electric.

More powerful all-wheel-drive models are on the horizon.

Local prices and specifications for the new Mercedes-Benz EQA 250 have not been confirmed.

The EQA is part of a growing range of electric Mercedes models.

European prices equating to around $75,000 drive-away suggest it could cost about half as much as the luxurious EQC in Australia.

The new model goes on sale locally mid-year.