Electric or petrol? Electric or diesel? Do we need to contrast the two worlds, or maybe an electric car can simply be an alternative that can be chosen according to taste, just as before its introduction, buyers chose gasoline over diesel or vice versa?
It is this idea that lies behind the initiative of Mercedes, which decided to invite several journalists on a journey through Tuscany, which started from both Milan and Rome. However, unlike in the past, the vehicles that could be traveled in were different: was EQA 250+electric version of the GLA, but there were also thermal GLAs: diesel. a plug-in hybrid and even the thirstiest (and also the most fun) of the gasoline models, the AMG version.
Having left together, we all had one goal – to arrive at dinner at the same time. Spoilers? We did this within ten minutes of each other…
- Mercedes EQA: consumption on the highway
- Mercedes strategy until 2030
- video
The first stage I drove was in the GLA Plug-in, a car that left Milan in conditions similar to those that exist in the real lives of those who choose this version: an almost full battery, because it would be pointless not to recharge the plug-in . every evening, and there was a little more than half of the fuel left in the tank. Along with the other versions, we all stop for breakfast, and this is where the EQAs recharge with a stop that took us longer for a coffee, and we’re talking about an electric SUV that’s certainly not the fastest at filling up with electrons since the peak. The charging power is limited to 100 kW, to which the car can be recharged.
I then take one of the EQAs in my hand and replace it with a plug-in to run a consumption test exclusively on the motorway and at full speed, since I will have to arrive at more or less the same time as those driving the diesel or AMG versions.
Battery latest update from Mercedes EQA 250+ – 70.5 kWh., a surcharge that allowed the manufacturer to increase the declared WLTP, which always contradicts real driving needs. Since the purpose of this test was certainly not an attempt to save money, my trip from Autogrill Arda Est (where we charged without leaving the motorway) to our destination Marina di Pisa did not require any special precautions.
The route is 209 kilometers, to which I “decided” to add another 40 due to a mistake, as I missed the exit, I went further south than I should have, and I had to compensate for the lost time by further increasing the pace so as not to arrive later than the rest of the group.
The overall average was 24.2 kWh/100 km with a total consumption of about 60 kWh, which I clearly didn’t have in the “tank” as I picked up an EQA with 56.4 kWh at the gas station. This required a very short stop of 11 minutes: in this case, the time was dictated solely by the need to go to the toilet and there was no loss of time. My need was to stop for physiological reasons, and the loss of time due to the car was a few seconds to connect and turn on before leaving for the service station, do what I needed to do, and quickly get out to get back on the road. steering wheel. In those ten minutes, thanks also to the fact that the battery was in the right range to accept maximum power, I recovered just under 15 kWh, useful for arriving at my destination, having completed 3 more stages (only 25 more km, responsive, dealership Mercedes and hotel). in Central Pisa).
In all three of these situations, you will be able to top up your balance using slow top-ups. given that the column was present 300 meters from the restaurant along the coast, in the Mercedes showroom (Ugo Scotti in Via Meucci in Pisa) and in the parking lot near the station.
All things considered, with the car running 100% in real motorway conditions – with no restrictions other than traffic jam issues – the actual range is almost 300 km. When the car is 80% charged after the first fast charge, you can drive 200 kilometers between one motorway stop and the next (assuming you’re 10% charged).
At a strategic level, Mercedes reworked the plans without distorting them. Electricity remains the point of arrival, on the other hand, with investments there is no turning back. huge, implemented by the entire automotive sector. However, the Germans have never abandoned diesel and so it remains within the norm: up to 50% of sales in the second half of the decade (2025 or so) will be electric or plug-in Mercedes, but endothermy will accompany us after 2030 and will therefore be available on new registered vehicles.
What will change in strategy is how electricity will be offered: it is not a replacement, but an alternative. If previously there was a choice between gasoline and diesel, today plug-in or fully electric cars are being added, and this will cover different needs without forcing, but focusing only on the strengths of electric vehicles in the respective segments.
What about the little ones? Class A will remain in some form, but Mercedes hasn’t gone too far in answering that question. The roadmap to 2030 includes four models based on MMA (a platform for “electric” compact and midsize cars, but also capable of mounting traditional engines) and future innovations based on three new electric platforms: MB-EA for passenger electric vehicles, AMG.EA for very high performance electric vehicles and VAN.EA for commercial electric vehicles. The pace and volumes will be dictated by markets and demands.
Source: HD Motori
Ashley Fitzgerald is an accomplished journalist in the field of technology. She currently works as a writer at 24 news breaker. With a deep understanding of the latest technology developments, Ashley’s writing provides readers with insightful analysis and unique perspectives on the industry.