The compact size of the Mercedes EQA makes it easy to drive around and you can push through gaps that become available at times.
Mercedes EQA 250+ Powertrain:
The Mercedes EQA is powered by a single electric motor mated to a 70.5kWh battery. It makes 190 horsepower and 385 Nm and comes in front wheel drive only. 0 to 100 kph comes up in a claimed 8.9 seconds and has a top speed of 160 kph. That doesn’t sound much compared to its direct rivals, the Volvo XC40 Recharge (408hp) and BMW iX1(313hp) but like all EVs the instant throttle response is there and acceleration is pretty quick but not explosive. But on the other hand, it gets a claimed range of 560km that is more than the above rivals. I expect a realistic range over a little over 400km. Im looking forward to driving it more in Mumbai over an extended period. It gets four drive modes – Comfort, Eco, Sport and Individual. Eco is best when you drive in a sedate manner while Sport does its bit to spice things up. The car shoots forward eagerly letting u make quick progress on open stretches of road. I mostly drove the EQA on the streets on Jaipur in traffic and it feels right at home there. The compact size makes it easy to drive around and you can push through gaps that become available at times.
Mercedes EQA 250+ Suspension, Ride & Safety:
The suspension setup isnt on the sporty side. It is more comfort oriented so there will be body roll during fast cornering. That said it soaks up undulations in the roads pretty well with only the sharp bumps filtering in. Braking power is adequate and there are three levels of regenerative braking, Normal, Strong and Maximum. These levels can be controlled via the paddle shifters. While the normal doesn’t make you feel any effect, the Strong and Maximum levels makes. the braking substantially stronger.
The safety kit includes 7 airbags, TPMS, PRE-SAFE speed limit assist, adaptive high beam assist, active lane keeping assist, active blind spot assist, forward collision warning with active brake control, 360-degree camera, acoustic presence reminder and ISOFIX child seat etc.
Coming to the charging, Mercedes says the standard 11 kW AC charger, a full charge can be completed in 7 hours and 15 minutes. It can also be charged using a 100 kW DC charger. Merc claims that this can charge the battery from 10% to 80% in 35 minutes only. The EQA gets a battery warranty of 8 years / 1,60,000 km warranty.
