Electric Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen Revealed As The Ultimate Off-Roader

I have always loved the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, and that feeling has increased with every passing year, especially after getting to drive them and moving to LA where they’re as popular as F-150s in Michigan. If I could only drive one car for the rest of my life, it would be a new G-wagen. My personal most anticipated car reveal of at the very least this decade has been the long-teased fully electric G-wagen, which was first teased in 2021 with the Concept EQG.

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Now, the electric Geländewagen is finally here, and it’s even better than I was hoping — name aside. Mercedes has ditched the EQ nomenclature for the G-wagen, giving the electric G a simpler-yet-clunkier name: G580 with EQ Technology. Yup, that is the official name. Ignore that bit of German silliness, and the new G580 EV seems like it will not only be the ultimate off-roader regardless of powertrain, but the ultimate style-conscious luxury SUV, too.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

The electric G uses the same ladder-frame platform as the gas models, in which Mercedes was somehow able to stuff a 116-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, though the frame has been modified and reinforced. Made from 0.2-inch-thick steel, the two-tier pack has 216 cells in 12 modules between three cooling levels, and it’s integrated directly into the frame and surrounded by a torsion-resistant casing. Protecting the underbody is a 1-inch-thick panel made from a new “intelligent material mix” that’s one-third the weight of a traditional steel panel but is even stronger and more resistant to damage and the elements.

Like a Rivian R1S (which I’ve heard Mercedes engineers and execs gush about), the G580 EV has four electric motors, one at each axle. The motors are integrated into the frame at the housing for the front and rear axles, and they are driven by short half-shafts, which allows the rear motors to be bolted to the chassis itself. Each motor makes 145 horsepower, which adds up to a total of 579 hp and 859 pound-feet of torque — 2 hp and 232 lb-ft more than the V8-powered AMG G63, not to mention 136 hp and 446 lb-ft up on the new inline-6–powered G550. Each motor has its own individual centrally-shifted transmission, and each axle has a double inverter with a shared housing.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes quotes a 4.6-second 0-to-60-mph time, 0.7 second quicker than the G550 and just 0.4 second off the G63, and it will hit a top speed of 112 mph, which is 18 mph slower than the G550. On the optimistic European WLTP cycle Mercedes says the G580 will have a range of 294 miles, which should work out to about 250 miles in the U.S., and with 200-kW fast-charging it can go from 10 to 80 percent charge in 32 minutes. G-wagen owners won’t really have range anxiety, either — you’d be hard pressed to find one that regularly gets more than a dozen mpg, if that.

Just like the other new-generation G-wagens, the electric G580 has independent double wishbone front suspension and a solid rear axle, though the latter has been “completely redeveloped.” Adaptive dampers are standard, and they feature pitch and roll stabilization and are claimed to better compensate for off-road terrain. Mercedes says the suspension components have also been engineered to withstand extreme off-road hazards like deep water, mud and dirt. As the motors are attached to the ladder frame and connected to the wheels via dual-joint driveshafts, the company says camber doesn’t change during compression, improving the G’s off-road ability.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

The G580 has 9.8 inches of ground clearance between the axles (0.3 inches more than the G550), a fording depth of 33.5 inches (5.9 inches greater), a 32-degree approach angle (1 degree better) and a 30.7-degree departure angle (0.7-degree better). Its 20.3-degree breakover angle is 5.7 degrees worse than a G550, but like the gas-powered G the electric one can climb a 100-percent grade and drive on a sideways slope of up to 35 degrees.

Instead of using mechanical differential locks like the standard G-Class, the EV uses its quad-motor torque vectoring to create virtual diff locks by precisely controlling the torque sent to each wheel within fractions of a second. And unlike the regular G, where the driver must activate each locker with switches on the dashboard, the G580’s virtual locks have fully automatic operation. Mercedes says this setup gives “maximum flexibility without negatively impacting cornering.”

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

There are also a number of different drive modes, including Rock and Trail modes for off-road driving. The G580 comes standard with a 2:1 Low Range off-road gear reduction, which can be activated in the Rock mode. This limits your top speed to 53 mph, and it allows for an off-road crawl function that essentially acts like cruise control, providing you with the ideal amount of power for pre-set speeds even on loose or rough surfaces, allowing drivers to more closely focus on wheeling. There are three speeds: Slow crawl, which goes at about 1 mph; Variable crawl, which goes at walking pace on level or uphill terrain and can do up to 9 mph on 10-20-percent downhill grades; and Fast crawl, which does 5 mph on level and uphill terrain and has no limit for downhills.

As we’ve already seen in a bunch of teasers, the G580 has a G-Turn function that can turn the light and right wheels in opposite directions to spin the car around in place. This “tank turn” feature is something we’ve seen experimented with by brands like GMC and Rivian, but the G-wagen is the first production vehicle in the U.S. to offer it. Only available in Rock mode with Low Range on, G-Turn is activated by a center console button, and the direction of the spin is chosen by pulling on a steering wheel paddle. The driver then releases the brake and presses the accelerator, and the car will do two complete rotations before automatically deactivating; you can also stop it at an exact point by releasing the paddle or lifting off the pedal.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

Another new feature allowed by the quad-motor setup is called G-Steering, which gives the G580 a much tighter turning radius and eliminates the need to do multi-point turns, a major boon for off-roading. This is accomplished through “targeted control of the drive torque at each individual wheel, with the vehicle turning around the inside rear wheel,” Mercedes says. Also only available in Rock mode with Low Range active, G-Steering is usable at up to 15 mph and is activated by another button on the dash. Mercedes says both G-Turn and G-Steering should not be used on-road.

Most crucial to the driving experience of gas-powered G-wagens has long been the characteristic engine note and ensuing rumble from the side-exit exhaust positioned just ahead of each rear wheel, and Mercedes has a solution for the EV’s lack of an engine. Called G-Roar, it provides a range of noises that should satiate even the most faithful G-Class drivers. Says Mercedes:

G-ROAR brings a unique sound experience to the Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ Technology. Inspired by the G-Class model family’s emotional combustion engine sounds, it provides an impressive acoustic accompaniment to the acceleration of the electric G-Class. Deep bass and sonorous tones deliberately set it apart from the sound experience of other all-electric models from Mercedes-Benz. Drivers can influence the sound with their choice of ELECTRIC DYNAMIC SELECT drive program. While it’s rather restrained in “Comfort,” for example, it develops a powerful and emotional sound in “Sport.”

G-ROAR also includes an “aura” sound and a variety of “event” sounds. The “aura” sound can already be heard around the vehicle when drivers approach the electric G-Class and unlock the doors. The “event” sounds can be heard when closing the vehicle door after ingress, switching the motors on and off, and upon opening the door at the end of a journey. After exiting the vehicle, the “aura” sound can be heard again – for up to one minute, or until the vehicle is locked. G-ROAR also provides acoustic feedback to the start of the charging process.

This is the standard front-end stylingPhoto: Mercedes-Benz

From the outside, there’s only a few tells that you’re looking at an electric G-Class. As standard it has the same four-bar grille as the facelifted G550, but a black-panel grille is optional — this features a mostly blank face with a pair of horizontal inlets on each side of the logo, an illuminated surround and black trim that extends around the headlights. Other styling tweaks include a taller hood, air curtain openings in the rear wheel arches, and aero-focused wheel designs. Mercedes will offer an even larger lineup of Manufaktur customization options, including new colors, extended leather finishes and different trim packages.

Like on the EQG concept, the G580 EV is available with a rectangular Design Box instead of the standard round spare tire carrier. This storage box has velcro straps and luggage nets and is designed to hold the car’s charging cables, along with other tools and items. An available dual-tone finish helps the box blend in with the rear window, and I think it looks really cool.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

From the inside the G580’s differences are even fewer. Instead of the three traditional diff locker buttons in the center of the dash, the EV has buttons for G-Steering, G-Turn and Low Range, as well as the stability control and the “Offroad Cockpit,” which takes over both screens with specially designed displays that show all sorts of relevant info like altitude, pitch, steering angle, individual wheel torque, suspension compression, tire pressure and more. Also activated via a button this panel is the G-Class’ new “transparent hood” function that use the 360-degree camera system to provide a virtual view of what’s underneath the nose of the car.

Like the rest of the 2025 G-Class lineup, the G580 comes standard with two 12.3-inch screens, one as the gauge display and the other a central touchscreen. Yup, the G-wagen finally has a touchscreen, and it’s running the latest MBUX software with augmented-reality navigation, an improved voice assistant and USB-C charge ports. The G580 also has a standard Burmester 3D surround sound system, a new steering wheel, 64-color ambient lighting, climate-controlled cupholders, an optional dashcam, and an optional rear-seat entertainment system with dual 11.6-inch touchscreens. The new G-Class is also available with keyless entry for the first time ever.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

The G-Class EV is a lot cheaper than I was expecting it to be, too. In Europe it will carry a starting price of around €120,000 excluding the VAT, the equivalent of approximately $128,000 — an increase of about $10,000 compared to a G500. Now, the Euro-spec G-wagen doesn’t come with as much standard equipment as the U.S. model does, with pre-facelift G550 starting at around $144,000 in the U.S., so expect our G580 to carry a starting price somewhere in the $160,000 range. (In the U.S. the G63 starts at just under $185,000.)

For the 2025 model year the G580 will be exclusively offered in the special Edition One launch trim. It will come in one of five colors: Arabian Grey, Moonlight White Magno, Moonlight White Metallic, Obsidian Black Metallic, and South Sea Blue Magno (seen in some of these photos). It gets the AMG Line and Night packages, black 20-inch wheels, silver running boards, blue accents in the exterior trim strips, blue brake calipers, a dual-color cargo box, and puddle lamps that say “Stronger Than Time.” The Edition One also comes with Silver Pearl and Black Nappa leather, blue stitching and blue accents in the carbon-fiber interior trim, and standard features including the G-Roar and active multicontour seats.

Exact launch timing hasn’t been announced yet, but the G580 EV should be on sale in the U.S. sometime in the second half of 2024. If there’s anything you want to know about the electric G-Class, or its facelifted gas-powered siblings, I’ll be at the first-drive event next week.