New electric Mercedes G Wagen wows Jonny with quad motors and G-Roar sound

After more than 40 years as the eminent military-inspired breeze block on wheels, the G Wagen finally goes electric. It’s one small step for EVs, but one giant leap for G-kind…

You could say Mercedes’ Galänderwagen is the Arnold Schwarzenegger of the motoring universe. Stay with us here: just as the former Californian Governor went from attempting to terminate the world on the big screen, to saving it with rousing speeches and climate activism, Mercedes G Wagen is repenting its gas-guzzling sins and turning over a new, all-electric leaf.

First impressions are deceiving, then: from a glance you’d never know this G580 isn’t spitting out the remnants of dead dinosaurs. But, as Jonny reports, that’s all part of the plan. At an early unveiling in the G’s native Austria, the LBS host discovers a fascinating marriage of old and new in the model’s design. 

While the fundamental shape appears untouched, a myriad of tiny tweaks add up to make a big difference. For one, aerodynamic alterations including a new more slippery bonnet, undertray cladding, and special slits in the rear arches, drop the drag co-efficient from 0.54 in the ICE version, to 0.44 in the EV – handy when trying to eke every last mile from the enormous 116 kwh battery pack.

 

Or enter tyre size

Understandably though, despite that vast capacity, range stands at an unexceptional 289 miles due to the G’s three-tonne kerb weight and inherently boxy shape. Conversely, performance appears unscathed by the G-Wagen’s heft and stature. Sporting a quad motor and gearbox setup, an impressive 587 bhp and 858 lb-ft of torque can rocket this colossus to 60 mph in under five seconds. 

That’s great, but you want to know if the electric G can still cut it against the likes of  Ineos’ Grenadier and Jeep’s Wrangler when the going gets rough. Well, according to Mercedes Drivertrain Engineer, Manuel Urstoeger, it’s an even better mud-plugger than its ICE brother. From the ability to independently brake the outside wheel for impossibly sharp turns, to a 850mm wading depth — some 150mm more than combustion Gs can manage — there’s no denying the G580’s prowess. If you needed further proof, each example bares a Mount Schoeckl badge to signify the model’s successful assent to the summit during testing.

Taking over 100 hours to assemble, each electric G spends four times longer on the production line than a “regular” Mercedes. That means there’s much more to the G580 than explosive acceleration and rock climbing. You’ll need to watch the video to find out about the new 360-degree donut feature, efficient energy recuperation, theatrical G-Roar sound, and much more.