Electric G-Class Price Locked in for SA

The all-electric G-Class is on its way to South Africa and pricing has been confirmed. Here’s your first look at the Mercedes-Benz G 580.

Interestingly Mercedes-Benz ditched its electric badging for the BEV G-Class, with the EQG name staying on the concept. Officially, this is the Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ Technology, yes that is quite the mouthful.

So, what do you get for your R4.6 million? The great news is that the electric G-Class will still be a formidable offroader, riding on a ladder-frame setup with a selectable low-range gearbox.

Powering the G 580 are four individually controlled motors near the wheels. A total output of 432 kW and 1 164 Nm is claimed and thanks to torque vectoring, there are virtual differential locks.

Range is up to 473 km based on the WLTP cycle, thanks to a 116 kWh battery which has been integrated into the ladder frame chassis for a low centre gravity and Mercedes-Benz claims it is water and dirt proof thanks to a torsion-resistant casing and carbon underbody protection. An energy consumption figure of around 29 kWh/100 km is claimed – which is heavy, yes, but not unexpected due to the 3-ton weight and un-aerodynamic shape.

Inside, the electric G-Class features synthesised engine sounds, which won’t be as cool as the AMG’s V8, but interesting nevertheless. The rest of the cabin features a layout and updates that are near identical to the current facelifted G-Class range. Niceties include the latest iteration of MBUX infotainment system and a massive 31.2 cm screen which has integrated driver and media info.