Mercedes’ strategy for the electrification of the prestigious SUV suggests that the German automaker understands what’s at stake. The first electric edition of the G-Class not only rivals, but also surpasses its internal combustion counterparts in terms of power and off-road capabilities. . What’s unexpected is the name.
Meet the Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ technology. That’s right, the EQG, which breaks with the trend set through its all-electric predecessors like the EQS, EQE and EQB. Starting with the G-Class, all new battery-electric Mercedes models will have compatibility with the company’s classic alphabetic taxonomy. .
It’s a great repositioning from a brand standpoint, but it makes sense when you look at it. The G Electric has a very ample amount of its internal combustion predecessors. If Mercedes wanted to buck that trend and integrate electric vehicles into the classic style nomenclature, this is the position to follow.
Image credits: Mercedes
Like the other G’s, the G 580 is still built on a classic ladder chassis, a design not unusual in specially designed pickup trucks and SUVs. Similarly, it still uses a forged axle at the rear, something that regular trail customers like. G makes a concession to modernity with an independent front suspension setup, but it’s also like the other types of G-Class out there.
Perhaps most importantly, it’s almost indistinguishable from the next G-Class update in 2025. Mercedes has made some sophisticated tweaks to the styling, the most notable being a black grille and unique lighting exclusive to the EQ. There are other tweaks like slightly rounded corners and the like to allow this SUV’s abrupt shape to cut through the wind more cleanly, but they’re maxims to spot.
But you only have to take a look at it to see that aerodynamics are the priority here. Off-road functionality is on point, and Mercedes has gone to great lengths to create a bespoke transmission for the G-Class.
Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ generation in non-metallic desert sand paintwork. Image credits: Mercedes
This is where things get radically different from the gasoline-powered G-Class models.
Like Rivian’s R1T and R1S models, the G-Class is powered by four electric motors, one for each wheel, fixed within the SUV’s chassis. Each of those engines even has its own two-speed transmission, a selectable gearbox that allows for the EQ The G-Class edition will have a low-range mode, giving you extra torque and control in low-grip scenarios.
A four-motor setup provides exactly the speed of each wheel, allowing for more grip control than a classic lock-differential setup could achieve. This also creates the opportunity to perform laugh tricks.
The hallmark is what Mercedes calls the G-Turn. Press a few buttons on the center console, hold down the left or right paddle on the steering wheel, then press the accelerator and the G-Class will spin on its axis.
It will do up to two full rotations like this – enough for a bit of bragging – but Mercedes says it’s actually to temporarily get off the finished trails, something that’s still been noticed before at Rivian.
Another more convenient feature is called G-Cornering, where the G-Class can slow down the inner rear wheels when cornering. This will allow the G-Class to navigate narrow, winding trails much more successfully than a traditional off-roader with locking differentials. .
Importantly, none of those features are available on G-Class models with internal combustion engines. If you need them, you need to go electric. And the additional features don’t prevent that.
The G-Class EQ can wade through water up to 33. 5 inches deep, about six inches deeper than the other G’s. It also offers an additional 0. 3 inches of floor clearance and a higher degree of angle.
Image credits: Mercedes
If you’re worried about ruggedness, Mercedes-Benz says it shouldn’t be. The G 580 with EQ generation features a 116-kilowatt-hour steel and carbon fiber coating around the battery. It’s also completely insulated from water, dirt, and any other dirt you go through. However, the silicon anode generation that emerged from the partnership between Mercedes and Sila is not manufactured. They are expected to arrive in an “extended-range” edition of the electric G within the next few years, according to a Mercedes-Benz spokesperson.
This may prove to be a desirable option. While it offers 16 kWh more capacity than a Model X, for example, the electric G arguably doesn’t go as far in speed as the Tesla. Mercedes claims it will cover 473 kilometers in the European WLTP cycle, which equates to about 250 miles according to the U. S. EPA test. It is well below the Model X’s EPA rating of 335 miles.
Despite the range, the electric G-Class sounds like a package, enough to appeal to any true functionality enthusiast away from internal combustion models. Tragically, it comes at a time when interest in electric cars in general is slowing.
Mercedes-Benz recently abandoned its 2030 goal of being an all-electric vehicle manufacturer, leading to challenging market conditions.
Ahead of the presentation of the G 580, Britta Seeger, member of the supervisory board of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, said that interest in electric cars varies greatly across regions in Europe. Recently, its adoption has taken a big hit thanks to the sudden removal of incentives for electric vehicles, he added.
This creates “a bit of uncertainty” among the brand’s customers. “And obviously, if the incentives are turned off, the impact is immediate,” Seeger continued.
In Europe, Mercedes has covered this factor by applying its own incentives, with “promising” results, according to Seeger. In the U. S. , the “leasing loophole” means that many of the brand’s EVs still receive the $7,500 federal incentive whenever they are rented, while dealers here rack up their own steep discounts.
“In the U. S. , we see other people who are very interested, but I would say most are more undecided. “
The company maintains its electrification plans, but refuses to set specific sales targets for the G 580 with EQ generation compared to other versions of the G-Class with internal combustion. ” We are in a position for everything. . . . We have full flexibility to meet the needs of visitors,” he said.
In other words, we’ll have to wait and see what role the EQ-generating G 580 plays in the overall distribution of G-Class sales. Unless it’s a general failure, it’s moderate to expect more. .
So far, Mercedes has made tougher and more expensive AMG-branded editions of its EQE and EQS electric models. In the U. S. , the AMG edition of the classic G-Class outsells its less expensive editions, despite a starting price of around $200,000, plus any exorbitant changes your local broker must apply.
That’s why Ola Källenius, CEO of Mercedes-Benz, calls the G-Class “the Birkin bag of our product range”. Will the new EQ flavour retain its prestige? It looks set to outperform its off-road predecessors, but it remains to be seen whether that will be enough to catch the mercurial G crowd.