Okay, let's get this out of the way. “2025 G580 with EQ Technology” is a terrible name. But Mercedes is ditching his EQ brand conventions (EQS, EQE, etc.) and bringing back the old letter-and-number scheme that everyone understands, so the new electric G-His Volkswagen will be given that nickname. I am. Fortunately, Benz had the foresight to give his G of the electric car an alphanumeric character suitable for shorthand. Since there is no gasoline-powered He G580, you can use its succinct steering wheel as is for your EV. And we will continue to do so.
The G580 looks very similar to its internal combustion engine siblings, the G550 and AMG G63, but this is by design. There are some subtleties about aerodynamic efficiency, but not so much that you notice them right away. The G580's most obvious visual feature is the slim outer cargo box at the rear, which houses the charging cable where you'd expect the spare tire to be. However, you can also specify a spare tire instead, so it won't be automatically gifted to you.
The G580 is still a body-on-frame SUV, and in fact, the body attachment points are the same whether the G-Wagen coming off the assembly line is a gas or electric car. However, the frame itself is very different as it houses a 116.0 kWh battery pack between the rails. Considering that the battery obstructs the ladder section of the frame, the pack itself sinks as a stressed member, the cells are designed to be spaced accordingly, and structural reinforcement can be installed in the frame. can.
It also has increased torsional rigidity. A 127-pound underbody armor plate protects almost everything between the axles. Mercedes says the 50-bolt component is made from a “judicious combination of materials, including carbon”. This sounds like a step back from claiming a carbon fiber skid plate, but peek under the G and you'll see the familiar glossy black weave that certainly looks like carbon fiber. Whatever Benz calls it, the underbody armor is designed to withstand intense rock-crawling abuse in the name of protecting the battery pack. Breaking your pack on a rock can be a huge blow to a gentle trail ride.
Benz also tested the pack in conditions that combined torsional stress and rapid temperature changes. Because this is off-road. With the suspension flexed to its maximum he climbs a mountain for a mile, keeping the motor and battery nicely warmed up while the trail plays slinky on the structure, then jumps into a cold stream to suddenly try to cool down all the components. So what happens? Are all the seals still waterproof? What would happen if you did this 10 times in a row? Benz is confident that its test engineers are pushing his G580 even harder and more creatively than its customers.
And in fact, some of its features may be underestimated. The G580's rated wading depth of 33.5 inches is 5.9 inches more than the gasoline model can handle, but Mercedes admits the electric G can dive even deeper than that. The powertrain is completely waterproof. The weak point at the moment is the HVAC air intake. We're guessing that in the next few years, Benz will be snorkeling through that water intake, making some pretty ridiculous river crossings possible.
And we can confirm (with the help of French weather information) that the G580 can handle a lot of water. Mercedes arranged a trail drive with billy goats on the outskirts of Montpellier, which involved rock climbing, water fording, and mud. All of these off-road competitions were more difficult than planned due to the constant rain. We have been to off-road events where rain completely derailed our plans, but that was not the case here. The organizers simply reminded everyone that the climb would be more dangerous, the water and mud deeper, and we moved forward.
We headed out on the trail in pairs. One of the drivers was on his G550 and the other on his G580. Traditionalists, prepare for torn clothes and gnashing of teeth. Because the electric G is clearly a superior off-roader.
While the G550 retains the ability to lock front, center, and rear differentials, the 579-horsepower quad-motor G580 doesn't require a differential at all, so the G-Wagen's signature differential lock button label in the center of the dash. Exciting possibilities of modified and independent torque at each corner. The center button activates the low range, but with 859 pound-feet of torque at 0 rpm, this may seem unnecessary. However, by introducing a 2:1 gear for rock crawling, Mercedes will be able to use a smaller motor, with mechanical advantages minimizing heat build-up during off-road training. is completed. (The motor uses additional lubricating oil to dissipate heat and aid the cooling circuit, like a Porsche 993. And no, you don't need to change the oil.) You can switch the area. Coasting in neutral is a neat trick, and if you're looking for a luxury runabout to plow into the back of a Prevost, neutral mode allows him to tow the G580 flat. Not only that, but its low-speed performance means your car has four transmissions, so you'll be able to show it off at your local off-road park.
To the left of the transmission range selector is a button for G-steering, which allows the G580 to negotiate sharp turns by dragging the inside rear tire and overdriving the opposite corner to rotate the rear end. There was a hairpin off the trail that required his two-point turn from Gus G, but the G580 was able to make a smart turn around it. To drive home the point, Mercedes set his course for a dirt slalom with the cones placed ridiculously close together, but the G580 moves correctly and slips through the gate by just over the entire length of the car. It was done.
Of course, even if you only have space for the length of the car (for example, at the dead end of a trail), the G580 can be turned around thanks to a third button on the dashboard. This performs a G-turn, driving the motors on each side of the car in opposite directions to rotate the car around its axis. After initiating a G-turn, pull the shift paddle on the steering wheel in the direction you want to turn, place the accelerator on the floor, and keep the wheel pointing straight. The last part requires a mental readjustment. It's very difficult to resist steering a car when it's turning, because dialing in the lock even slightly cancels out the system. And you need to hold the wheels firmly so that they don't move. If you follow all the rules, the G580 will turn twice. That's one more revolution than is strictly necessary to get out of an Upper East Side parking lot easily.
The Electric G mimics the gas-powered model's live rear axle articulation by using a De Dion rear end, a setup also used on the Esprinter. The De Dion is something of a hybrid with a solid rear axle and an independent setup, with the motor mounted in the center and driving the wheels via half-shafts and CV joints, with a C-shaped solid axle connecting each side. Masu. This minimizes unsprung weight while maintaining the articulation structure that off-roaders value. That is, one side goes up and the other side goes down. Like his other G-Classes, the G580 eschews air springs and has a fixed ride height. It still offers a suitably intimidating ride.
On pavement, top speed is limited to 112 mph, at which the motor spins at 14,500 rpm. The G580 runs in rear-wheel drive mode when possible to increase efficiency. That meant Benz had to account for the possibility that a driver might be cruising at 112 mph on the rear motor, encounter a hill, and suddenly need the dormant front motor. join the party This means matching the speed of the motor to the speed of the road. Here's an interesting statistic. The G580's motor spins from 0 to 14,500 rpm in 300 milliseconds. Engineers in the field argued that selectively disconnecting the motor was still the most efficient strategy, despite the surge in power required for the trick. EPA range has not yet been established, but Mercedes expects the G580 to have a range of 240 miles.
The first G580 to feature EQ technology will be the $168,000 Edition One. If this seems like too much of a bargain, we recommend talking to your sales representative about the Manufaktur customization program. The Manufaktur customization program offers a modest selection (20,000 colors) of new exterior colors. ). Because there's nothing more embarrassing than watching your neighbor pull up in his Volkswagen painted in the standard production Obsidian Black Metallic shade you just ordered.
In the decades since its introduction in 1979, the G-Wagen has undergone a mutation from hard-scrubbing four-by-four to luxury icon, even in its most ridiculous derivative (you see, the Maybach G650 Landaulet). It was basically a capable machine. The Electric G not only meets those expectations, it extends them. For example, after experiencing the magic of radius sculpting in the G-Steering, we asked Mercedes engineers why they couldn't do it in the gas model as well. He acknowledged that it would happen someday.
specification
specification
2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology
Vehicle type: Front and rear motors, 4-wheel drive, 5-seater, 4-door wagon
price (CD EST
Basic: Edition 1, $168,000
Power train
Front motor: 2 permanent magnet AC
Rear motor: 2 permanent magnet AC
Total power: 579 hp
Total torque: 859 lb-ft
Battery pack: water-cooled lithium-ion, 116.0 kWh
Onboard charger: 11.0 kW
Peak DC fast charging speed: 200 kW
Transmission: 2 speed automatic
size
Wheelbase: 113.8 inches
Length: 182.0 inches
Width: 76.0 inches
Height: 78.2 inches
Vehicle weight (CD Estimated value: 6900 pounds
performance (CD EST
60 mph: 4.4 seconds
160mph: 9.6 seconds
1/4 mile: 13.1 seconds
Top speed: 112 mph
EPA fuel economy (CD EST
Total: 65-70 MPGe
Range: 230-250 miles
Ezra Dyer is car and driver Senior editor and columnist. Although he is now based in North Carolina, he still remembers how to turn right. He owns his 2009 GEM e4, which he once drove at 206 miles per hour. These facts are mutually exclusive.
