Mercedes-Benz is setting the stage for a new sub-brand named EQ that will focus on electric mobility, autonomous technology, and connectivity. One of EQ’s first models will be a battery-powered compact hatchback, and we’re getting a thinly veiled preview of it during this year’s Frankfurt Auto Show. A new teaser sketch sheds insight into what we can expect from the Mercedes-Benz Concept EQA.
The image reveals that the EQA’s front end blends styling cues from the Concept A Sedan we saw earlier this year at the Shanghai Auto Show and the Generation EQ concept introduced last year at the Paris show. Strips of light replace the radiator grille, which is traditionally made with metal and plastic parts, while giving the car a unique lighting signature at night. Even Mercedes’ timeless three-pointed star logo lights up in the dark.
The EQA has a sportier profile than the current A-Class, a model not currently sold in the United States. The look is characterized by a more rakish A-pillar which helps lower the overall drag coefficient, and a low roof line that ends in a discreet spoiler positioned right above the rear window. Intricately designed tail lamps will remind show-goers in Frankfurt that the EQA is still a design study, and at least a couple of years away from joining Mercedes’ other compacts (like the GLA) in showrooms.
Your guess is as good as ours when it comes to what’s under the concept’s hood. The only thing certain at this point is that the hatchback is 100-percent electric, and it’s likely capable of driving for at least 250 miles on a single charge. While the size of the EQA’s lithium-ion battery pack is limited by its compact footprint, the Chevrolet Bolt and the Tesla Model 3 both show it’s possible to build a compact model with a usable driving range.
The Frankfurt Auto Show opens its doors to the press on September 12, and Digital Trends will be on location to bring you live images of all the action straight from the show floor. Stay tuned for more details about Mercedes’ electrifying new concept, which will share the stage with the hotly anticipated AMG Project One as well as the updated 2018 S-Class Coupe and Cabriolet.
Updated: Added the latest teaser image released by Mercedes-Benz.
