After nearly half a century in production, this is the first all-electric G-Class to hit the streets.
The iconic Geländewagen has come a long way in the past few years. We waved goodbye to the fantastically overwrought G65 with its twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter V12 engine, said hello to the first new G-Class in decades, and now this: the first entirely electric G-Wagen. And while Mercedes originally referred to this version as the EQG, that is not what ultimately came to fruition, as the automaker pivots from the “EQ”-followed-by-whatever-letter strategy. Instead, this is the 2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology.
Not exactly snappy, I’ll grant you that, but this SUV aims to stick much closer to its internal combustion counterpart by way of its design and, of course, its capability.
In place of your typical 4.0-liter biturbo V8, the Mercedes G580 with EQ Technology has not just an electric motor, but four of them. It’s not the same as some other quad-motor setups we’ve seen, since this G-Class still has the same ladder frame as the latest gas-powered model (which has also been updated for 2025), rather than a skateboard chassis with a motor physically located at each wheel. There are a pair of motors at each axle, each with their own gearboxes and half-shafts connecting to each wheel.
Instead of a conventional transmission doling out power to all four corners with differentials along the way, the electric G can power each wheel individually. The result of having four motors is also profound in terms of its on-paper specs: 579 horsepower and 859 lb-ft of torque. With all that grunt, even this leviathan of an EV can sprint from 0-60 in 4.6 seconds and hit a top speed of 112 mph.
Underneath, the 2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology packs a 116-kWh lithium-ion battery. It packs an 11-kW onboard AC charger, with a charging cable contained within the rear carrier rather than a spare tire (you can get the spare tire back as an option), while you can also DC fast-charge the car at a capacity up to 200 kW. Mercedes says that, under ideal conditions, you can charge from 10 to 80% state-of-charge in approximately 32 minutes. Using the WLTP cycle, the electric G ostensibly gets up to 294 miles of driving range on a charge, though that will probably fall to around 250 miles using EPA ratings. Still, that’s not terrible for a 7,716-pound box.
The Mercedes G580 with EQ Technology packs some new tricks, and plenty of familiar touches.
Before getting into the interior changes, this electrified G-Class wouldn’t mean much without a closer look at its capability once you’re off the beaten track. It still looks the part by way of its comfortably familiar exterior styling, but it also brings plenty of off-road kit to the party.
Since we’re talking about a squad of electric motors in place of your standard drivetrain, the electric G580 doesn’t have differential locks in the same sense as the gasoline versions. Instead, this SUV offers “virtual differential locks” through torque vectoring at each individual wheel. The EV variant also packs a “tank turn” like feature with G-Turn, which allows the driver to hold one of the paddles and have the car make a full turn in its own footprint (though it will disable the mode after you make the maneuver twice in a row, so you can’t tank turn all day).
Mercedes says the electric G580 with EQ Technology can climb up to a 100% grade on suitable surfaces. On lateral slops, it can climb with “high stability” up to 35 degrees, while it also has 9.8 inches of ground clearance, a 32-degree approach angle, 30.7-degree departure angle and 20.3-degree breakover angle. On paper, at least, it still looks to be plenty capable without the traditional V8. Since it is an EV, you also get all that torque the instant you press the accelerator, which can definitely come in handy off-road.
The G580 with EQ Technology also has a low-range function, which uses a 2:1 gear reduction ratio within each of the two transmissions at each axle. Unlike most low-range gearboxes, though, this system works up to 53 mph. An intelligent crawl control function, maintaining slow speeds over technical obstacles, also activates whenever the vehicle is in low-range.
Inside, the all-electric G-Wagen looks familiar to its gas-powered counterpart. You do get an illuminated surround for the faux grille here, though, and a sound system to at least give you some audible feedback if you don’t want a totally silent driving experience. That said, you do have to opt into actually using those sounds, so they won’t annoy you right from the jump if you don’t want them.
For 2025, the G580 with EQ Technology is only available in the U.S. in an “Edition One” configuration, as we’ve seen from so many other high-end EVs. We don’t know exactly how much it will cost yet, but expect it to pack a substantial six-figure price tag.
