The Mercedes-Benz lineup will undergo a profound transformation in the coming years. The automaker is pushing heavily into battery-electric vehicles, and that includes offering entry-level models like the upcoming EQA sedan. New renderings preview what the model could look like before it debuts sometime in 2024.
Recent spy shots captured the sedan winter testing, covered in camouflage and cladding. Motor1.com’s exclusive rendering peels back the coverings to reveal its possible design. Many of the car’s finer styling details remain hidden, with the rendering blending the recently restyled CLA with the looks of the brand’s EQ models.
Mercedes may have teased the car in May 2022, and it reportedly features styling cues from the Vision EQXX concept. The EQXX featured a super-slippery 0.17 drag coefficient, helping it extend the available range to 621 miles (999 kilometers). It’s unclear what could carry over, but the spy shots show the vehicle with a sloping roof. The extra cladding at the front suggests that Mercedes is revamping the face for improved aero. The rendering blends a bit of the EQXX into the sedan’s headlights.
There’s the possibility that Mercedes will drop the EQA name when the car debuts. A report from earlier this month said that the company planned to phase out its EQ branding starting in 2024. The first model to allegedly forgo the naming structure is the electric G-Class that will go on sale next year. Mercedes allegedly no longer needs the sub-brand as EVs become its mainstream product. However, the automaker will likely keep the EQ brand for its EV services and accessories.
The electric CLA will likely ride on the automaker’s new MMA architecture, expected to also debut in 2024. Mercedes designed the platform for BEVs first, but it can accommodate gas and diesel engines. The new EV should arrive with new-generation battery packs and efficient electric motors.
The EV should offer at least 200 horsepower (149 kilowatts), with Mercedes offering the model in both front- and all-wheel-drive configurations with single- and dual-motor layouts. It’s expected to offer 279 to 341 miles (450 to 550 kilometers) of range on the WLTP cycle. It’ll likely arrive with the latest software and safety standards and should be capable of offering Level 3 conditionally automated driving with its Drive Pilot technology.
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