The all-wheel-drive in the Electric G-Class offers full off-road capability with maximum driving pleasure. Two electric motors produce a max. Power of 360kW and provide an acceleration which is otherwise only known by sports cars. All this with particularly compact dimensions and without restrictions in the trunk and the interior space.
The Mercedes-Benz G-Class has got to be one of the most iconic SUVs, usually shown as the go-to car for bad guys, mobsters, or rich, powerful individuals with a lot of money to burn. There’s something definitely imposing about the classic boxy shape, huge wheels, and if you happen to have the AMG version, the burbles, and power from a high-displacement turbocharged engine. Mercedes-Benz has announced that initial sketches and concept work have begun on the EV version of the G-Class.
The Electric G-Class differs externally only in detail from the original version. Inside, the well-known high-quality environment presents itself, the original instruments have been elegantly adapted for the electric drive. Thus, the driver enjoys the accustomed luxury of the G-Class and, in addition, enhanced comfort through e-mobility.
The G-Wagon has been on a roller coaster ride since being introduced in 1979. It had defied market conventions and faced the chopping block on several occasions, but in 2019, global sales of the 4×4 increased by over 60%, with 34,912 units delivered. That’s 13,000 units more than the 2017 record.
There’s no name for the electric G yet, but let’s just assume that it will be called the EQG for the time being. It’ll be a challenging car to build, though, considering that the regular G-Class has a curb weight of nearly 2.5 tonnes. Expect the EQG to weigh substantially less, mostly by using lightweight materials and lighter battery.
This won’t be the first all-electric G-Class, though. In 2017, Kreisel Electric built a one-off electric G-Wagon from a G 350 d and fitted an 80 kWh battery pack under the bonnet. This provides juice to a pair of electric motors producing 483 hp (360 kW), enough to send the SUV from 0–100 km/h in 5.6 seconds. It was commissioned for Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the car offered 299 km of range on a full charge and supports DC charging of up to 150 kW.
There are certainly many questions surrounding the electric luxury and off-road SUV. It’s not clear if the model will sit on the standard G-Class’ architecture or if it may move to a dedicated platform for Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming EVs. Battery technology is also a wildcard since it will likely take a hulking battery to provide the performance expected of a G-Class on- and off-road. The German automaker plans for 10 electric cars in the next two years.
