Mercedes G-Class EV could get 400-mile range with new battery

The G580 also features a new aerodynamically sculpted bonnet, resulting in a drag coefficient of 0.44, down from 0.48Cd for the latest G450d, and 0.53Cd for the previous-generation G. In another move, the optional spare wheel holder mounted on the rear boot can be replaced with a similarly styled charging cable holder.

“The G is still the G,” said Manuel Urstöger, the head of e-drive systems for Mercedes-Benz G. “It’s not just design or sound: for us the powertrain is about offering uncompromised off-road ability.”

The G580 uses four electric motors, with one powering each wheel of the car. Each motor produces 145bhp, combining for a maximum output of 579bhp, along with a mammoth 859lb ft of torque.

The motors have been developed specially for the G580, and each is driven by a separate two-speed gearbox. Urstöger said that the unusual and highly complicated powertrain was developed specifically to meet the exacting specifications of the G division, and will not be used elsewhere in the line-up.

“It was a tough project,” he said, “but we achieved all our targets and because of that it’s better than the combustion-engined G when going off-road.”

The G580 retains the same independent front suspension, with a new rigid axle at the rear containing the integrated electric drive unit, and virtual rather than mechanical differential locks to offer optimised torque vectoring.

It has a 0-62mph time of less than five seconds and a top speed of 112mph, but the real focus is on delivering off-road performance, with Urstöger saying that the development briefs have been set to match or exceed the petrol G. 

There is a shiftable low-range transmission, and Mercedes claims the G580 offers up to 100% gradeability on certain surfaces and the ability to traverse side slopes of up to 35 degrees.

The G580 also features a fording depth of 850mm, which because the electric powertrain elements are all sealed, is 100mm greater than the regular G – and is only limited because of the height of the charging port.

The only off-road area where the G580 falls short of the ICE G, Mercedes claims, is in ground clearance: the flat floor means that a small section of the centre of the floor sits slightly lower than the G450d.

In addition, the G580 offers three bespoke functions to aid off-road driving: a G-Turn, which allows it to rotate 720 degrees on the spot; G-Steering, which reduces the turning circle by enabling it to pivot around an individual wheel; and an off-road crawler function that can run as low as 1.2mph.

There is also a new ‘transparent bonnet’ function that uses the front facing cameras to project a forward view onto the infotainment screen to make tackling obstacles easier.

The G580 sits on a modified version of the G-Class’s ladder frame chassis, although with the batteries mounted directly into the frame in specially designed packs, which also serve as a structural part of the machine, removing the need for separate cross braces.

The 116kWh battery, shared with the EQS, can be fast-charged at speeds of up to 200kW and gives a claimed range of 292 miles, although as important for Mercedes, according to Urstöger, was how much off-roading that would allow.

“It’s surprising how long you can drive off-road,” he said, noting that the lower speeds and ability to use regen instead of brakes when descending are beneficial in this respect.

Urstöger highlighted the G580’s performance on the Schöckl mountain pass in Austria, a 3.5-mile pass featuring 700 metres of altitude gain at gradients of up to 60% that all G-Class are tested on, claiming the EV can complete the ascent and descent 14 times on a single charge.