Mercedes unveils electric compact SUV in bid to outdo Tesla

Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz on Wednesday unveiled the EQA, a new electric compact SUV as part of plans to take on rival Tesla and offer more emission-free vehicles to consumers to meet targets in Europe and China.

Tesla hunts for design chief to create cars for China

The EQA, the first of several electric models Mercedes-Benz plans to launch this year, will initially have a range of 426 kilometers, with a 500km model coming later, the premium brand carmaker said in a video presentation.

The SUV will go on sale in Europe on Feb 4 at what board of management Britta Seeger described as “very attractive price points”.

Electric vehicle (EV) sales took off in Europe last year as carmakers scrambled to meet European Union CO2 emissions targets. Sales received a boost from subsidies included in economic stimulus measures rolled out in France and Germany, in particular.

Tesla hunts for design chief to create cars for China

Sales of fully electric and plug-in hybrid models rose 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 carmaker Tesla got a head start on traditional carmakers with its vast