The First All-Electric Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen Arrives as a Serious Off-Roader

We all know the stereotype of Mercedes-Benz G-Class owners, in that you’re more likely to see one cruising down Rodeo Drive than bombing around Moab. So with the official unveiling of the first-ever all-electric G-Wagen, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Mercedes would drop the pretense of the vehicle being a rugged 4×4 and instead lean into its bread and butter as a luxury status symbol.

But that’s not what those mad scientists over in Stuttgart have done. Instead, the first all-electric G-Class — which is formally dubbed the G 580 and not the EQG as predicted — arrives with the same familiar ladder frame chassis and iconic boxy silhouette, along with a number of new innovations designed specifically for pavement-free driving.

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The G 580 Packs Some Serious Power

Before we get into the off-road goodies packed into the rootinest, tootinest, least pollutinest G-Wagen ever, we should give a quick rundown of the main specs of the vehicle.

For its powertrain, the G 580 utilizes a quad motor system, with each of the four wheels being powered by its own dedicated, individually controlled electric motor. Combined, the total power output of the system is an impressive 579hp and a very impressive 859 lb-ft of torque. That’s more horsepower and torque than even the biturbo V8-powered AMG G 63, which has an output of 577hp and 627 lb-ft. Acceleration is estimated at 4.6 seconds from 0-60 mph, which is just off the AMG’s 4.5-second pace.

The G 580 boasts more horsepower and torque than an AMG G 63.Mercedes-Benz

Its Range Is Sort of a Mystery

The G 580’s motors derive their power from a 116-kWh high-voltage lithium-ion battery that’s integrated into the ladder frame, keeping the vehicle’s center of gravity low. As for the range of the vehicle, Mercedes isn’t showing all of its cards just yet.

A promotional unveiling video from Mercedes states that the truck will not “compete against range champions like the EQS,” which has a range of around 350 miles, but that it “competes to be the best electric off-road vehicle in the world.”

As to what that means exactly, Mercedes hasn’t officially stated. The SUV’s initial press release lists the range as TBD, and doesn’t really discuss the issue (which is odd, for a fully electric vehicle). However, in the comment section of the aforementioned video, the brand does answer a question about range by stating the range is “up to 470 kilometers depending on your driving style.” That translates to 292 miles, which is considerably less than the 340 miles claimed by the top-spec Cybertruck. The “depending on your driving style” line also leaves a lot of questions about the ultimate range of the electric G-Wagen.

Mercedes thankfully opted to include a faux grille on the G 580 as a stylistic choice.Mercedes-Benz

The interior of the first G-Class EV is as luxurious as you’d expect.Mercedes-Benz

Now, Onto the Good Stuff

OK, I promised off-road goodies, and here they are. The G 580 has independent front suspension, like your typical G-Wagen, but it also has a solid rear axle, which has been newly developed specifically for the EV. Like the ICE G-Wagen, the EV claims stability at a lateral tilt angle of up to 35° and can climb slopes with a 100 percent grade (equal to a 45° angle). G 580 outdoes its gas-powered brother when it comes to its water-fording ability, though, as it can tackle depths of 33.4 inches, which is nearly a 6-inch increase.

The remarkable G-Turn feature, which Mercedes has teased in the past, officially debuts on the G 580 and allows the vehicle to perform up to a 720° turn in one spot (on loose, unpaved surfaces) if you encounter an obstacle and have no room to turn around. The vehicle also utilizes a similar G-Steering feature that massively trims the turning radius of the vehicle on narrow trails.

What’s more, the vehicle debuts a new type of off-road cruise control dubbed Off-Road Crawl that maintains speed during steep ascents or descents, allowing the driver to focus solely on steering. The last big innovation comes in the form of virtual differential locks, which automatically senses when one of the motors loses grip and uses intelligent torque vectoring to correct the problem almost instantly.

As You Already Guessed, It’s Expensive

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz G 580 is expected to roll into dealerships here in the U.S. in the second half of 2024, with a starting price around $152,000. That’s certainly pricey, but frankly not astronomical by G-Class standards, as it slots the EV between $143,000 SRP of the base G 550 and the $183,000 starting price of the performance-oriented AMG G 63.

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