Mercedes-Benz Concept EQA show car: an EQ concept in the compact class
Key facts
All-electric and compact: The Concept EQA is Mercedes-Benz's first all-electric EQ concept vehicle in the compact segment.
Innovative light technology: When it comes to the lights, Mercedes-Benz has opted for laser fibres. The spiral-shaped light signet underlines the electric concept, its design evoking the copper windings of an electric motor and the animation visualising electrical impulses.
Powerful electric drive: Two electric motors, with a system output that can be increased to over 200 kW thanks to scalable battery components, and permanent all-wheel drive deliver impressive dynamic performance. The two drive programs offer a choice of individual drive characteristics.
Real-world range: In combination with the intelligent Mercedes-Benz operating strategy, the Concept EQA achieves a range of around 400 kilometres, depending on the battery capacity installed.
Convenient charging: The Concept EQA can be charged via induction or wallbox and is also ready for rapid charging.
Electric aesthetic: The Concept EQA is another example of the logical evolution of the Sensual Purity design idiom: sharp edges and lines have been significantly reduced. The black panel at the front acts as a virtual radiator grille whose look changes according to the drive program.
Mercedes-Benz management comments on the Concept EQA
"Our electric initiative is gathering pace: by 2022 Mercedes-Benz Cars will have launched more than ten all-electric vehicles on the market. And the Mercedes-Benz Concept EQA proves that we are serious about introducing electric mobility throughout the portfolio."
Dr Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars
"The progressive vehicle concept of the Concept EQA combines impressive dynamism with a long range that is ideal for day-to-day driving, and is based on an architecture exclusively developed for the battery-electric models."
Ola Källenius, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development
"With our Concept EQA we have reinterpreted our design philosophy of Sensual Purity and developed the Modern Luxury into a Progressive Luxury for our EQ brand. We eliminated creases and lines and reached the next level of purity. With its stunning proportions, seamless flowing surfaces, combined with stimulating graphics using high tech black panels, it is definitively a bold design statement: this car is simply sexy."
Gorden Wagener, Chief Design Officer, Daimler AG
EQ concept in the compact class
The Mercedes-Benz Concept EQA, which will premiere at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt, demonstrates how the EQ strategy can be introduced to the compact class. Featuring one electric motor at the front axle and one at the rear, the electric vehicle has a system output of over 200 kW. The drive characteristics can be altered by varying the permanent all-wheel drive's front to rear torque distribution and the Concept EQA shows which program has been selected on a unique virtual radiator grille.
At the 2016 Paris Motor Show, the Concept EQ – a study with the look of a sporty SUV coupe – heralded the launch of a new EQ product and technology brand. Now Mercedes-Benz is showing how an EQ model in the compact segment could look. "With the Mercedes-Benz Concept EQA, our electric initiative is gathering pace: by 2022 Mercedes-Benz Cars will have more than ten all-electric vehicles on the market," stated Dr Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars.
At the same time, the Concept EQA is another example of the logical evolution of the Sensual Purity design idiom: sharp edges and lines have been significantly reduced. One example of the new electric aesthetic is the light technology which features laser fibres. A laser-activated medium is embedded in the centre of a fibre-optic cable. The eye-catching spiral-shaped light signet underlines the electric concept, its design evoking the copper windings of an electric motor and the animation visualizing electrical impulses.
Two electric motors, with a system output that can be increased to over 200 kW thanks to scalable battery components, and permanent all-wheel drive deliver impressive dynamic performance. The two drive programs "Sport" and "Sport Plus" offer a different front to rear torque distribution, allowing a choice of individual drive characteristics.
The black panel at the front end acts as a virtual radiator grille and changes its look according to the drive program. In the "Sport" drive program the grille depicts a flaming wing in horizontal format, while in "Sport Plus" mode it displays vertical struts in the style of a Panamericana radiator grille.
In combination with the intelligent Mercedes-Benz operating strategy, the Concept EQA achieves a range of around 400 kilometres, depending on the battery capacity installed.
The highly efficient lithium-ion battery with pouch cells is supplied by the Daimler subsidiary Deutsche ACCUMOTIVE. Thanks to their modular design, the innovative battery systems have a model-specific total capacity of over 60 kWh.
The Concept EQA can be charged via induction or wallbox and is also ready for rapid charging. The vision for using public charging stations is "seamless charging": this Mercedes me-based service makes it easy to charge and pay at different charging stations.
EQ: the new electric mobility brand from the inventor of the automobile
EQ offers a comprehensive electric mobility ecosystem of products, services, technologies and innovations. The spectrum ranges from electric vehicles and wallboxes to charging services and home energy storage units. The name EQ stands for "Electric Intelligence" and is derived from the Mercedes‑Benz brand values of "Emotion and Intelligence." The new brand encompasses all key aspects for customer-focused electric mobility and extends beyond the vehicle itself. Future models will embody the essentials of state-of-the-art electric mobility: the fusion of emotively appealing and intelligent design, exceptional driving pleasure, high everyday practicality and maximum safety, a hallmark of every vehicle from the inventor of the automobile.
The first series-produced model of the new EQ product brand, the EQC, is set to be produced at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Bremen from 2019. It is based on the Concept EQ exhibited in Paris last year.
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Contacts:
Mercedes-Benz Canada
JoAnne Caza 416 847-7550 joanne.caza@mercedes-benz.ca
Sinead Brown 416 847-7588 sinead.brown@mercedes-benz.ca
