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Mercedes-Benz green-lights the new all-electric EQA EV for Australia. 

Hilariously, after all of Volkswagen\u2019s recent poorly considered protestation concerning its inability to sell EVs here, thanks to our backward regulatory environment, Mercedes-Benz only just now says it\u2019s rather looking forward to the new EQA coming here later this year.

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Apparently the Germans don\u2019t really talk to each other, or share hymn books, all that often. Because Volkswagen is falling all over itself to denounce Australia as a third-world backwater (I\u2019m paraphrasing) while Mercedes sees a real opportunity here for its new compact EV SUV, the EQA.  Dealerships will receive their allotments of the all-electric EQA later this year. (You can order one from next month if you want.)

As you know: not a huge fan of Mercedes. Better than Volkswagen, though. (Not hard.) The point is: Free country. If the EQA moves you, if it flips the switch on, let the current take you. Resistance is futile in that state.

And who knows? EQA may not be a D-O-G. It offers a range of up to 480km, and comes with a Chargefox rapid charger subscription, for longer trips. I\u2019ve used Chargefox - they\u2019re awesome. EQU has a 66.5 kWh battery and according to official Suppository data, the electron consumption is 16.2 kWh per 100km - for the mathematics and physics cognoscenti.

The price is interesting: $76,800 inclusive of GST and LCT. There\u2019s also a fairly OTT Edition 1 version with a lube dispenser and other self-righteous and otherwise unnecessary features, should you want to be the most annoying guest at the world\u2019s most boring dinner party, for an additional $7300.  What I find fascinating about this is actually two things: No word from them on how difficult it was to justify selling it here, to the factory in Germany. Which is completely at odds with Volkswagen\u2019s recent counter-claim, oxygenated far too extensively in CarAdvice.

Equally fascinating: the price. Roughly the same as a Hyundai Kona Highlander Electric - a vehicle I drove for approximately one global pandemic and 10,000 kilometres. And roughly equivalent on size, range, and other key operational characteristics.

Of course, the EQA does display the coveted Mercedes badges front and rear - which is so damn compelling to many people. For mid-$70s - if that\u2019s in fact how it plays out - which one would the average person choose to be seen in? Even for $10k more...

So I\u2019d suggest the advent of EQA is also going to be something of a fox in the henhouse, for Hyundai, with vehicles such as the Kona Electric - and also a cause for concern over their new Ioniq sub-brand. And also for Kia with its EV6 seemingly under consideration for Australia.

Volkswagen\u2019s not worried, however - it already has its excuses for failure to sell its EVs here perfectly well sorted. According to Volkswagen, their upcoming EV failure is all our fault.