Mercedes has announced that it will drop the EQ particle from its electric model names. And it will do so for the Mercedes EQG, which will most likely be called the Mercedes G 580 electric.
Although Mercedes has been using the name EQG for the first electric G-Class since the first concept was unveiled in September 2021 at IAA Mobility in Munich, it seems that the name of the production model will be different. Mercedes announced months ago that it would drop the EQ from its electric model names, and future electric models will bear the classic model name of every series followed by the word “electric”.
It looks like the new naming logic will come into effect as early as this autumn, so the new Mercedes EQG will be called the Mercedes G 580 electric.
Based on conventional platform with ladder frame
It’s not based on the EVA II platform like the EQE/EQS, as Mercedes wanted to keep the ladder frame architecture. That’s why the Mercedes G 580 electric takes over the platform of the conventional G-Class, to which some modifications have been made. Mercedes has dispensed with the stiffening cross members in the floor, which have made way for the high-capacity battery, whose casing also plays a structural role. The battery is protected underneath by a carbon fiber plate, as the Mercedes G-Glass electric will have the same off-road abilities as the G-Class with conventional engines. The battery casing is also waterproof because the Mercedes G-Class will be able to pass through deep pools of water.
The suspension takes on the same configuration as the G-Class: independent front double-wishbone suspension and rigid rear axle. In addition to the standard Eco, Comfort, and Sport modes, the driver can choose between Trail, Sand, and Rock off-road modes. The electric Mercedes G-Class will run on 18-inch wheels with 265/60 tires.
Several Mercedes G-Class electric prototypes have already passed the tough test – the 1,445-metre high Schockl mountain climb in Graz, which every new generation G-Class must pass. In Rock mode, the electric Mercedes G-Class will be able to go over boulders at three preset speeds: D- (up to 3 kph), D (up to 6 kph), and D+ (up to 8 kph). These speeds will be adjustable from the steering wheel paddles.
The presence of a motor at each wheel will allow for simulating the three lockable differentials of the conventional model, and there will also be a Low Range mode. There will also be a G-Turn function, which besides being spectacular, will help turn in tight spaces next to trees in difficult off-road terrain.
Mercedes has not yet given any details about the battery and electric motors. But given that the EQS 580 SUV develops 544 PS from its two motors that get their energy from the new battery with a gross capacity of 118 kWh, we expect the G-Class to offer between 600 and 650 PS when it launches in autumn 2024, and the battery to be taken over from the EQS SUV. Currently, the Mercedes EQS 580 4Matic SUV weighs 2,845 kg and has a WLTP range of 654 km. Given that the new Mercedes G 580 electric will have a weight of over 3 tons and much weaker aerodynamics, we expect the official range to be no more than 400-450 km.
With four electric motors and a large battery, the price of the Mercedes G 580 electric will be close to 200,000 euros. Currently, the cheapest G-Class, the G 400 d, starts at 118,256.25 euros, and the AMG G 63 costs 187,246.50 euros.
