Mercedes-Benz today announced the official launch of the EQA 260 model in China, priced at RMB 321,800 ($49,100), above the entry-level Model Y.

(Image credit: Mercedes-Benz)

Mercedes-Benz made the EQA and EQB all-electric SUVs available at the Guangzhou auto show last November 19, but so far their performance in China has been lackluster.

Now the German luxury carmaker is letting a new variant of the EQA go on sale in China in an attempt to attract consumers with a lower price tag.

Mercedes-Benz today announced the official launch of the EQA 260 model in China, priced at RMB 321,800 ($49,100).

The model uses a single motor with a maximum power of 140 kW and a peak torque of 380Nm.

It is equipped with a 73.5 kWh battery pack and has a CLTC range of 619 km and can be charged to 70 percent in as little as 45 minutes.

Last November, Mercedes-Benz began offering the EQA 300 4MATIC and EQB 350 4MATIC models in China for RMB 365,800 and RMB 437,800 respectively.

The Mercedes-Benz EQA 300 4MATIC is also powered by a 73.5 kWh battery with a CLTC range of 537 km and can be charged from 10 percent to 80 percent in 45 minutes.

With dimensions of 4,463*1,834*1,624mm and a wheelbase of 2,829mm, the EQA is smaller than Nio's best-selling ES6, which measures 4,850*1,965*1,758/1,731mm and has a wheelbase of 2,900mm.

The EQA 300 4MATIC is priced higher than the Nio ES6's cheapest model at RMB 358,000, while the EQA 260 is priced lower.

The EQA 260 is also more expensive compared to Tesla's entry-level Model Y at RMB 316,900.

Tesla Model Y retail sales in China in March were 39,730 units, up 291.4 percent from 10,151 units a year ago and 113.7 percent from 18,593 units in February, according to data released earlier this month by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

That put the Model Y at the top of the SUV sales rankings in March, ahead of the second-place BYD Song at 26,723 units, with the Changan CS75 in third at 22,811 units and the Haval H6 in fourth at 19,303 units.

In China's new energy SUV market, BYD Song ranked second in March, with Li Auto's Li ONE in third with 11,034 units and the Nio ES6 in eighth with 5,064 units.

For comparison, Mercedes-Benz's electric models never made it to the CPCA's list due to low sales.

Further Reading: German luxury automakers' EV models in China -- No one cares, even their salespeople