Look, it’s the new electric G. After teasing us with concepts since 2021, Mercedes-Benz is finally giving us all the details about the upcoming battery-powered off-road vehicle.
And no, it’s not called EQG.
Get to know the Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ technology. Yes, that’s quite a mouthful and a break from the nomenclature that Mercedes has defined for its previous electric vehicles. However, the electric G-Wagen is significantly different from the company’s current electrification efforts, and so a bit of a brand redesign makes sense.
While machines like the EQE and EQS fit reasonably well into the same segments as Mercedes-Benz’s E-Class and S-Class but are fundamentally different from their similarly named predecessors, the G 580 with EQ technology is a real G – Class. Battery operated only.
It starts with a ladder frame setup like the facelifted G-Class that Mercedes-Benz unveiled just last month. It also uses a similar suspension arrangement, an independent front axle paired with a rigid rear axle – specifically a newly developed De Dion configuration. They even look the same, with the G-Class’s EQ flavor differing only with a slightly different grille and a few other tweaks.
However, the details are fundamentally different. While the other G-Class models with combustion engines make do with a meager single power source, the G 580 with EQ technology has four. The combination delivers a massive 879 hp, as the name suggests. Torque is an even more significant 859 pound-feet.
That’s 302 more horsepower and 232 pound-feet more than the new AMG G 63!
The four motors are integrated into the G’s ladder frame and are located in common housings on the front and rear axles, each containing a pair of motors and their gearboxes. Short half-shafts then connect each motor to its own wheel. According to Mercedes, this is “the Mercedes-Benz Group’s first production vehicle with single-wheel drive,” but those of you with an affinity for bright yellow paint will certainly take note SLS AMG Electric Drive from 2009 remember. The total number of nine examples built may not be considered mass production, but it did show the potential to give each bike its own twist.
However, off-road use requires completely different skills and some interesting tricks, including the G-Turn function, which is increasingly becoming a must for electric off-roaders. On loose surfaces, drivers can activate this mode and hold down either the left or right paddle shifter to rotate the car – but only twice before the mode deactivates itself.
A less flashy but probably more practical application is called G-Steering. The rear wheel on the inside of the curve is pulled to help the electric G-Class turn on a narrower axis. Mercedes has also added a bespoke crawl function to the electric G, similar to Ford’s Trail Control, which allows the car to maintain a constant speed of up to 5mph over rough terrain.
Electric vehicles generally excel off-road due to their high torque and smooth power delivery, but Mercedes has raised the bar with the new G-Class by introducing two separate gear ratios at each corner. For off-road use at speeds of up to 85 km/h, the driver can activate a low-range gear ratio (2:1), which gives the G 580 even more flexibility when flying low.
However, one major change is that this G-Wagen does not have the typical front, center and rear differentials that have become an iconic feature. The control buttons are still clearly visible in the center of the G-Class dashboard. Not with EQ technology. Such differentials are literally not necessary when each wheel has its own motor. Instead, the ability to distribute torque individually and precisely to each wheel based on countless factors creates what Mercedes calls “virtual differential locks.” It works automatically.
We won’t know how well it all fits together on the dirt until we get behind the wheel, but on paper it looks like the G 580 will deliver an impressive performance. An approach angle of 32 degrees and a departure angle of 30.7 degrees compare to 31 and 30 for the regular G.
Additionally, the G 580 can wade deeper than the other G models, up to 33.5 inches versus 27.6 inches, and it also has an additional 0.3 inches of ground clearance.
With a 0-100 km/h time of 4.7 seconds, it won’t compromise on on-road performance, but range won’t be its strong point. The G 580’s 116-kilowatt-hour battery delivers approximately 294 miles on the European WLTP test cycle. We’ll have to wait and see how it fares in the more demanding EPA test, but we’re expecting around 250 miles. The maximum charging speed is 200 kW. And in case you’re wondering, that massive battery is protected by an aerodynamically designed skid plate made from “an intelligent mix of materials that includes carbon.” It is one inch thick, weighs 127 pounds, and is attached to the ladder frame with 50 steel screws. According to Mercedes, a conventional steel plate of the same size would be three times heavier. They didn’t mention how many screws it would have.
Range is improved slightly by aerodynamic improvements, which include air curtains in the rear wheel arch extensions, special A-pillar trim and a rear lip spoiler. The drag coefficient drops to 0.44, 0.04 better than the petrol version and 0.07 better than the previous G-Class. No one said it was a slippery vehicle, but those are fair numbers for an SUV with all the aerodynamic finesse of a 7,716-pound cinder block.
Mercedes has also included lots of fun technical features, such as an optional light strip that is integrated into the radiator grille and can play animations or act as an additional running light. A new ‘design box’ (for more storage space), pictured on the blue G, is standard, but you can specify the classic spare wheel and rear door tire if you prefer the convenience of a spare wheel. The otherwise silent G also features a range of sounds to add some of the character that was certainly lost with the amputation of the side pipes. But fortunately, they deactivate by default when driving off-road.
The only question is how much it will all cost. Mercedes-Benz hasn’t announced U.S. pricing for the 2025 G-Class yet, but rest assured we’ll let you know when it does.
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