Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz on Wednesday revealed the EQA, a new electric compact SUV as part of strategies to compete with Tesla Inc and offer more emission-free vehicles to consumers to meet targets in Europe and China.
The EQA, the first of several electric models Mercedes-Benz prepares to introduce this year, will initially have a range of 426 kilometres (265 miles), with a 500km model coming later, the premium brand automaker said in a video presentation.
The SUV will go on sale in Europe on February 4 at what board of management Britta Seeger described as “very attractive price points”.
Electric vehicle sales took off in Europe last year as automakers scrambled to meet European Union CO2 emissions targets. Sales got a boost from subsidies included in economic stimulus measures rolled out in France and Germany, in particular.
Sales of wholly electric and plug-in hybrid models increased 122% across the EU through the first three quarters of 2020.
Mercedes-Benz describes the EQA as an “urban entry model” and board member Seeger touted its “sustainability, versatility, and fresh look”.
Electric automaker Tesla got a head start on traditional automakers with their vast investments in fossil-fuel vehicles and has dominated worldwide sales. The mass-market Tesla Model 3 is the world’s best-selling EV, followed in distant second place by Renault’s Zoe.
Together with emissions targets, automakers face bans on fossil-fuel vehicles that come into effect as early as 2030 in some markets.
