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The Electric Mercedes G-Wagon, a Pricey Joy

The best G-Wagon runs on batteries

The electric G-Wagon is at home on and off pavement. (Roberto Baldwin)

Imagine you had the ability to fly. Unfortunately, you end up spending your time levitating six inches off the ground for Instagram posts. That's the story of the G-Wagon, an insanely capable off-roader that spends its time in luxury communities in the hands of the rich who use it to fill their Instagram feed. It's sad, really, because the G580 with EQ Technology (aka Geländewagen aka G-Class aka G-Wagon, which starts at $164,550) is so much more than a social media prop. In fact, the electric version is the best in the family.

At the launch of the new G-Wagon, I asked Mercedes AMG CEO Michael Schiebe why the electric version was the best. His reply, "I wanted to correct you, but I cannot because in off-road capabilities, it’s better."

After a week with the G-Wagon, I tend to agree.

Driving style

When not trying to impress the world of social media, the G-Wagon is a proper off-roader, and the electric version is no different. To up the ante, Mercedes introduced four motors and a dual-speed gear box. Schiebe called the powertrain "superior technology" over what's available in the gas version as the electric G-Wagon benefits from additional traction and torque. The gas-powered G550 outputs 413 lb-ft (560Nm) while the electric G580 hits 859 lb-ft (1165 Nm). Slippery sections of a trail or asphalt road are quickly dispatched as the vehicle dynamically adjusts power delivery to each wheel as the SUV determines which are gripping and which are slipping.

Then there's the G-Turn.

The iconic boxy design isn’t going anywhere, but the rear wheel cover does store a charging cable. (Roberto Baldwin)

The electric G-Wagon can spin in a circle. It's a tank turn. The wheels on each side of the vehicle spin in opposite directions and the vehicle spins around and around. The idea being that if you're in a bind and can't perform a three-point turn due to lack of space, the G-Wagon could perform a 180-degree turn, and then you'll be on your way. In theory, it sounds great. In reality, the vehicle needs to be on a flat plane in order to perform the maneuver. It's also recommended to only be used off-road and definitely not on pavement. The system needs some give to complete the task and you’d rather that be taken care of by first and gravel giving way versus your tires.

Both of these stipulations make sense, but I can see someone getting stuck somewhere on a slight grade and realizing that this feature isn't available to them, and now they have to perform that 30-point turn to go back the way they came. Fortunately, the vehicle is outfitted with a 360-degree camera view that includes a "transparent hood" feature to help the driver see what's just ahead of the vehicle and under it.

The system works by buffering images from the front camera and displaying them as if there's a camera under the front of the vehicle. Other automakers have pulled this off for years, and it's good to see it on the G-Wagon.

All the tech is fun, but it's the off-road hardware specs that impress. The G-Wagon has 9.8 in (25 cm) of clearance and can ford in up to 33.5 in (85 cm) of water. According to Mercedes, it's stable on slopes up to 35 degrees. I'll take their word for it. I wasn't about to test that because I'm not a fan of rolling down a hill. It has an approach angle of 32 degrees, a departure angle of 30.7 degrees, and 20.3 degree breakover angle.

The interior still delivers Mercedes luxury even if you’re in the middle of a trail. (Mercedes)

While some of what I encountered off-road was rough, the active dampers smoothed the ride, relatively speaking. I was still off-roading and knew it. What's important is that the active suspension and torque vectoring work together to tackle challenging terrain by enabling better traction.

A low-gear reduction is also part of the package, and anyone that offroads regularly understands the benefits. Each of the vehicle's four motors has a transmission for maximum torque and to reduce any thermal issues that would come up if the wheels were trying to tackle a difficult section in a higher gear. The vehicle even has a Rock mode for extremely rough terrain that requires a slow and steady descent or ascent. The Geländewagen can take on most anything you throw at it.

Since it’s where most of these vehicles reside, the smooth power delivery of the electric motors makes the electric G-Wagon a delightfully refined vehicle on the road. With a 0-60 time of 4.6 seconds, the Wagon is quicker than it needs to be. I was never wanting for power on the road.

Handling is helped by the active suspension, but it's still a tall off-roader and not fit for a twisties adventure. Steering was light but confident. The high sitting position feels more natural in this vehicle than in many other SUVs. Testing the SAE Level 2 driver assistance features resulted in calm reactions to cut-ins, lane-centering that could tackle most highway curves, and adaptive cruise control that never over-accelerated or over-braked while in traffic.

Design

Fortunately, hardware buttons are still available for both off-roading and climate controls. (Mercedes)

Yes the design has been updated over the years. Also, yes, it would be tough to see what's different besides the headlights when it comes to G-Wagon design. The boxy shape of the vehicle is iconic, and Mercedes would be foolish to mess with that. You know exactly what you're looking at and, even though it's decades old, I still think it looks great. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Inside

Yes, it's an off-roader with all the extra grab handles and off-road displays you would expect from a vehicle with these capabilities. But it's also a Mercedes and, more and more over the years, the G-Wagon’s interior has evolved to meet the expectations of luxury vehicle drivers. It's also very comfortable, both in the front and back seats with plenty of head and leg room. The materials are top-notch, which means you don't want to drag dirt, mud, and snow into the interior. If you're using the vehicle correctly, you will, but I felt a little guilty doing so.

In the dash sits 12.3-in cluster and 12.3-in infotainment screen. The vehicle is equipped with MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience). I still find it to be one of the best infotainment systems available. I am happy to say that most climate, external camera, and off-road controls are available via hardware buttons. It doesn't matter how great an infotainment system is; when offroading, it's tough to tap a screen.

For those headed to the store or on a trip, the G-Wagon has 34.8 ft3 of cargo space. But remember, this vehicle is a box. That space will accept more actual cargo than a vehicle with a sloped rear end.

The EV Bits

Mercedes has done a great job creating an electric off-roader. The vehicle has a 116 kWh lithium-ion battery pack and an EPA range of up to 239 miles (385 km). It's important to remember that this vehicle is a box with wheels, so aerodynamics aren't its strong suit, and its efficiency numbers take a huge hit because of that. It'll DC fast charge at up to 200 kW and AC charge at up to 9.6 kW. Mercedes said the G-Wagon charges from 10% to 80% in about 32 minutes.

The combined output of the four electric motors is 579 hp (432 kW) and 859 lb-ft (1165 Nm). It's an enormous amount of power for a vehicle like this, and it's available at all times. That right there is the modus operandi of the G-Wagon. It offers up so much potential, but only a fraction of it is actually used by its owners. The G580's starting price of $164,550 does probably deter people from scratching it up on the trails. If you can afford one, though, it's criminal if you don't let this vehicle truly fly.

Topics:
Automotive Electrification

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    Automotive Engineering Magazine

    This article first appeared in the April, 2026 issue of Automotive Engineering Magazine (Vol. 13 No. 3).

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    Transcript

    00:00:08 The Mercedes-Benz G-Class has been a favorite of the rich and famous for decades. Never mind the fact that this is a proper off-roader. Unfortunately, most G-Classes spend their entire lives on boring asphalt next to very expensive shops. Today I am in the electric G-Class, also known as the G Wagon, but technically known as the Mercedes G580 with EQ

    00:00:43 technology. EQ technology delineates electric vehicle in Mercedes-Benz's world. Um, and I'm here to tell you that this G Wagon, this is the best G Wagon. It's better because it ships with four motors and a twospeed gearbox. It has a proper low gear. Those four motors equal 579 horsepower and 859 pound- feet of torque that can propel the vehicle from 0 to 60 in 4.6 seconds. The AMG gas

    00:01:11 version, the more powerful gas version of this vehicle, is quicker from 0 to 60. It'll do it in 4.2 seconds versus 4.7 for the EV version. But once you get under 5 seconds, the average person probably won't notice half a second difference from 0 to 60. That said, really this vehicle for off-road capabilities, this is the better vehicle. On the trail, you don't have to

    00:01:37 worry about locking the differentials on the front and rear axles because, well, there is no differential because every single wheel has its very own motor, which means you get true torque vectoring. Oh, and of course, thanks to those motors, for each wheel, you can do this. This is the G-T. It's only for off-roading, but it's great when you have to turn around uh because you hit

    00:02:00 the end of a trail or if you have a really tight turn you need to make and it's fun. It's really, really fun. Is spinning around on a dirt trail ridiculous fun? Well, yes. Is this a real feature that people actually use? Also, yes. I've been on many trails where you're driving along and suddenly you encounter a fallen tree or maybe a gate is locked and now typically in the

    00:02:25 gas version I would have to do a 12point turn in order to turn around and go back the way I came. With this vehicle I can just spin around and head back home. It's not just the ability to spin in a circle. That's makes this better for off-roading. This vehicle actually ford through deeper water than the gas vehicle. The electric G Wagon will forward through 33.5 in of water. That's

    00:02:49 nearly 6 in more than the gas version because you don't have to worry about exhaust. You don't have to worry about, you know, putting a snorkel on the vehicle because it's electric. There is no exhaust. It's just battery motors go. The downside is that this is a premium vehicle, but it's still rolling on a 400vt system platform. Fortunately, Mercedes is maxing out that platform

    00:03:12 with DC fast charging supported up to 200 kW and AC charging topping off at 11 kW. The newest Mercedes EV platform is 800 volts, but this vehicle was announced and available before all of that. So, don't be surprised to see an 800vt G Wagon in a few years. As for range, the EPA says that this vehicle, this version of the G Wagon, will travel up to 239 mi before it depletes its

    00:03:38 battery. Now, that's not great, but also I'm driving a big block. It is a big square off-road vehicle. It is about as aerodynamic as a brick. Um, and really for most of the people who are looking to buy a G Wagon, 239 mi, that's likely more than enough range for them to go down to the very expensive corner store where they have cheeses from other planets. I I assume I don't know what

    00:04:10 rich people buy. It's something that most people don't really talk about when it comes to driving EVs, especially off-road, and that's that well, you can hear nature. There's not a big loud engine noise. It's just very quiet. Be right back. I'm going to go try to sneak up on some deer. For more information about the

    00:04:39 MercedesBenz G580 with EQ technology, be sure to click the link below in the description. And for more coverage of automotive, sustainability, and EVs, be sure to subscribe to SAPE International.

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