The MMA platform will help the A-Class EV have better range than the EQA despite a smaller battery.

By Autocar India News Desk

Mercedes-Benz's plan to usher in an electric vehicle in every segment by 2025 has led to the development of a bespoke EV architecture for small cars, thereby facilitating an electric replacement for the Mercedes-Benz A-Class hatchback.

Currently, the smallest model in the EQ family is the Mercedes-Benz EQA crossover, an electric version of the combustion-powered Mercedes-Benz GLA that shares its sibling’s platform. It is one of four EVs in the brand’s portfolio – alongside the slightly larger EQB, the EQC SUV and the van-based EQV – to use a modified version of an existing combustion-engined architecture.

But with the new MMA platform, Mercedes-Benz is well placed to take on the Volkswagen ID.3 with a lower-slung premium hatchback that matches the current A-Class for interior space and its rivals for range.

The MMA platform is intended, in the first instance, for EVs in this segment – the smallest in which Mercedes-Benz currently operates – and it will bring a step change in the functionality and performance of its entry-level EVs.

No doubt the packaging constraints of a C-segment car will mean the ‘EQ A-Class’ comes with a smaller battery than the largest cars on this platform. However, the substantial increase in power density – in conjunction with a greater focus on lightweighting and aerodynamic efficiency – means it will improve on the 422km range of the current longest-legged version of the EQA.

The car will also have a more characteristically spacious and airy interior, given the slim battery pack and lack of transmission tunnel – both of which mean it can also sit closer to the ground, adopting a less overtly crossover-style stance.

Importantly, it will also be an overtly luxurious proposition than Mercedes' current entry-level cars, in line with a radical repositioning of the brand which will focus on higher-margin models. So as Mercedes winds down its presence in the compact segment to just four models, it will imbue those that are left with refinement and technology on par with some of the largest and most luxurious models in its line-up.

Mercedes-Benz sells only the EQC electric SUV in our country. The carmaker launched the C-Class sedan and the Maybach S-Class recently.

Meanwhile, with sales of 2,839 units, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class has emerged as India’s bestselling luxury car in FY22, according to our sales analysis with automotive data specialist firm JATO Dynamics India. That puts the E-Class ahead of all its rivals combined.

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