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The Mercedes model most shaped by its history is getting its biggest change in more than four decades, with the 2025 Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ Technology bringing electrification to the G-Wagon. The public debut of the all-electric G-Class comes on the heels of the refreshed gas G-Wagon models last month, and indeed Mercedes hasn’t strayed too far from there in either style or capability, despite the absence of internal combustion.
That’s because, whether gas or electric powered, the G-Class has a legacy to live up to. First launched in 1979, the SUV made a name for itself with go-anywhere capability wrapped up in burly, distinctive style. Not only do buyers expect that, they’re also arguably the most averse of any Mercedes driver to changes that might nudge the G-Wagon away from its iconic design and ethos.
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Turning the SUV electric, then, required a deft touch, and Mercedes hasn’t stinted on the 2025 G 580 with EQ Technology’s hardware. Four electric motors — one for each wheel — mustering 579 horsepower and 859 pound-feet of torque, along with a 116 kWh battery, combined with the ladder frame design platform and selectable Low Range off-road gear reduction. However, this electric-G can do some things its internal combustion counterparts could only dream of.
Don’t change what works
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From the outside, the differences are scant. The 2025 G-Class’ boxy silhouette remains, though the grille is now optionally fared-in (as well as being illuminated around its edge). Compared to the gas version, the hood is slightly raised and the rear wheel arches are a little more flared, with air curtain intakes cut through to aid with aerodynamics. At the rear, as an alternative to a spare tire, there’s a new optional Design Box on the side-opening door. That can hold the G 580’s charging cable or other accessories.
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That rear door is also where the badge is, and there the electric G-Class debuts not only a new EV in Mercedes’ lineup, but — in eschewing the rumored EQG nameplate for the SUV — a revamped naming strategy, too. While current electric models like the EQS and EQE will keep their names for now, future EVs will be rolled into the automaker’s traditional product nomenclature and distinguished with their drivetrain technology tagged onto the end of that. So, a future luxury electric sedan could be the “S Class with EQ Technology.”
Mercedes-Benz
Inside, features familiar from the revamped gas G-Wagon are carried over. That means dual 12.3-inch dashboard displays, Mercedes’ MBUX infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, standard Nappa leather, climate-controlled cupholders, ambient lighting, and a Burmester 3D Surround Sound system. Pride of place is still given over to the billet-like off-road drivetrain controls, though their function is a little changed in the G 580.
A genuine off-roader that just happens to be an EV
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Mercedes’ ladder frame is reinforced for the electric SUV’s uptick in torque, with an independent double wishbone front suspension and solid rear axle. The four motors are mounted to the frame, and there’s a selectable Low Range mode for 2:1 gear reduction at speeds of up to 53 mph. Mercedes says the G 580 can climb up to a 100% grade, surface-depending; has 9.8 inches of ground clearance; a maximum fording depth of 33.5 inches, a 32-degree approach angle, 30.7-degree departure angle, and 20.3-degree breakover angle.
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You’re not compromising on off-road performance by switching to electric. Mercedes also fits adaptive adjustable dampers as standard, plus the Offroad Cockpit and “transparent hood” camera view familiar from the newest ICE version. However, the electric-exclusive G-TURN feature allows the G 580 to rotate up to two complete times on the spot (on unpaved or loose surfaces, and when driving in both Low Range and Rock modes) by hitting the dedicated dashboard buttons.
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There’s also G-STEERING, with the G 580 finessing torque at each wheel independently to help the SUV turn around the inside rear wheel while off-road. Off-road crawl is effectively low-speed cruise control, the electric G-Class handling forward speed (with a choice of three paces) so the driver can focus on steering through obstacles.
Electric speed and surprising range predictions
Mercedes-Benz
On the road, of course, is where most G-Class drivers find themselves most frequently. There, the quad-motor drivetrain’s 579 horsepower and 859 pound-feet — more than the new 2025 AMG G 63 delivers from its 4.0-liter bi-turbo V8 — delivers 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds and a 112 mph top speed. Torque vectoring is used to create virtual differential locks, all handled in the background by the G 580 with EQ Technology itself, rather than demanding the driver switch between setups manually.
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The slightly slower acceleration compared to the gas AMG G-Wagon — which does 0-60 mph in 4.2 seconds — is likely down to the 116 kWh (usable) lithium-ion battery. Its twelve cell modules are fixed into the ladder frame, helping both with stiffness and a low center of gravity, with uprated underbody protection. EPA range figures haven’t been finalized, but Mercedes says it’s expecting the electric G 580 to do around 300 miles in U.S.-spec testing.
Mercedes-Benz
There are four levels of regenerative braking offering up to 217 kW, driver-adjustable with the steering wheel paddles, and an auto mode in which the SUV adjusts dynamically according to driving situation and the state of traffic ahead. As for soundtrack, a special “G-Roar” sound experience — “inspired” by the combustion versions — is standard, changing sounds depending on drive mode and other factors.
Expect a big price and small production numbers
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As for more practical matters, the G 580 with EQ Technology supports up to 200 kW DC fast charging. That, Mercedes says, means a 10-80% charge could be complete in 32 minutes. The electric G-Class will be rated at up to 915 pounds of payload capacity — towing details will be confirmed closer to the SUV’s launch.
The more pressing detail still to be announced is just how much the new electric G-Wagon will cost when it arrives in U.S. dealerships in the second half of 2024. For now, a safe prediction is that it’ll be one of Mercedes’ most expensive models — the G 580 will start at 142,621.50 euros ($153k) and the Edition One at 192,524.15 euros ($206k) in Europe — and almost certainly in short supply. While the automaker says it has arranged production so that the balance between internal-combustion and electric G-Class can be shifted around according to demand, overall production capacity is still limited.
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That demand will also help shape how the electric G-Class continues to develop. For the first year, the U.S. will only get the Edition One spec; beyond the G 580, an AMG flavor seems inevitable, though Mercedes isn’t confirming anything at this stage. The “baby G” — a project developing a smaller version of the G-Class — is also still underway. And, though the 2025 G 580 with EQ Technology may not be the EV for every driver, as an electric halo product it already seems to be better pitched than GMC’s bombastic Hummer EV SUV or Tesla’s recently-recalled Cybertruck.
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