2025 Mercedes-Benz G 580 Goes Electric With EQ Technology
Following the debut of the gas-burning 2025 Mercedes-Benz G 550 and AMG G 63 last month, here comes the much anticipated, fully electric G-Class.
This one won’t be called EQG as originally planned. That would have been far too simple. Rather, the company will be using a new nomenclature, and the result is quite a mouthful. Say hello to the 2025 Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ Technology.
- Also: 2025 Mercedes-Benz G 550 and G 63 Get Key Changes, Electric G Coming Soon
- Also: Limited-Edition, Diamond-Studded Mercedes-Benz G-Class is Canada-Bound
Aerodynamics Be Damned
EQ models from Mercedes-Benz largely stand out from their traditionally powered counterparts with smoother lines and shapes aimed at improving aerodynamic performance and maximizing range. The G-Class doesn’t care. Other than a unique front grille and air curtains in the rear wheel arches, the electric G 580 is virtually identical to its ICE-equipped siblings.
The big, boxy SUV tips the scales at just over three full tons and yet accelerates from 0-100 km/h in just 4.7 seconds. How is that even physically possible?
Four Electric Motors
The G 580 with EQ Technology is built on the same body-on-frame architecture as other G-Class models, but it’s been adapted to accommodate a massive 116kWh battery feeding four electric motors (two in the front and two more in the rear). Total system output is 579 horsepower along with an incredible 859 lb-ft of torque.
Range is estimated at 473 km based on the WLTP test cycle used in Europe, so more like 400 km at best when the EPA and NRC numbers will be released. Max DC fast charging capacity is 200 kW, meaning the battery can be charged from 10-80 percent in approximately 32 minutes.
Even though only 10 percent of G-Class customers dare to step away from the pavement, according to Mercedes-Benz, engineers have come up with sweet tricks like G-Turn, enabling the vehicle to perform up to two complete turns in the desired direction on unpaved or loose off-road surfaces. The four independently driven wheels can rotate the vehicle to the left or right as required, as the company showed during a spectacular preview in Las Vegas last year.
G-Steering, meanwhile, can significantly reduce the turning circle when driving on trails. This is achieved through targeted control of the drive torque at each individual wheel, with the vehicle turning around the inside rear wheel. The electric G-Class features virtual differential locks through torque vectoring.
Water and Electricity Can Mix
Amazingly, the maximum fording depth is 850 mm, which is 150 mm deeper than the G 550 and AMG G 63. That’s because the battery is housed in a torsion-resistant casing to protect it from water and dirt intrusion during off-road driving. On a related note, the robust underbody panel is 26 mm thick, attached to the ladder frame with more than 50 steel fasteners, and weighs 57.6 kg (127 lbs).
With a model-specific independent front suspension and solid rear axle, approach and departure angles of 32 degrees and 30.7 degrees, respectively, plus 250 mm of ground clearance, the vehicle has the ability to climb up to a 100-percent grade on suitable surfaces and offers high stability on lateral slopes of up to 35 degrees.
And because it seems like every luxury EV out there needs to have its own sound signature, a so-called G-Roar function uses speakers on the inside and outside to create a unique acoustic experience for drivers, passengers and passersby.
Wonderful Interior
The interior of the 2025 Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ Technology conveys a sense of rugged luxury like those of the G 550 and AMG G 63. It also offers fantastic tech such as a transparent hood function that provides a virtual view of under the front of the vehicle, helping drivers better recognize obstacles along the way.
The new Offroad Cockpit provides an overview of the most relevant information on the driver and multimedia displays (artificial horizon, compass, altitude, steering angle, torque, tire pressure) as well as functions to support off-road driving.
Passenger room is about the same, and the charging cable can be stored in the spare tire compartment. If you insist on having a spare tire, you’ll have to check the corresponding box on the list of options.
With the electrification of the iconic G-Wagen now underway, hell might just freeze over. Well, maybe not. Anyway, The Car Guide will head over to Perpignan, France in a couple of weeks for a first drive with this electron-guzzling mastodon. Don’t miss our review.