Off-road legend goes electric
Meet the first fully electric Mercedes G-Wagen, or ‘G580 with EQ Technology’ in the brand’s new EV speak, reports Richard Bosselman.
Keeping the upright appearance of the old while modernising everything else has long been the formula, but in its latest evolution Mercedes’ G-Wagen really has joined a new revolution, having gone electric.
Unveiled internationally, including having pride of place on the brand’s stand at the Beijing Motor Show, the car everyone imagined would be called EQG – but is actually the ‘G580 with EQ Technology’ – is set to become the new ride from the old client base. That is, for those with money and a penchant for attention who have for years sought out the G with AMG badging and powerful V8 petrol engines under the upright bonnet.
Mercedes-Benz regional people at the recent media launch of another big banger that’s taken a new turn – the C63 AMG sedan – were loath to discuss introduction planning for the latest G-wagen. However, they left the impression the New Zealand scheduling is for this year and didn’t dismiss that its arrival would pretty much tie to Australia. The neighbour has now said it will take supply of this car, and fossil fuel variants, from October.
The G580 is set to be the flagship, not just because it takes the high ground on technology pedigree, but also it is the most powerful G-Class yet produced, with 432kW and 1164Nm – 2kW and a significant 314Nm more than the latest 4.0-litre V8 AMG version – and is said to be more adept off-road than any other model.
So it’s a heavyweight that’s also, unavoidable due to the 530kg big battery, rather hefty. Benz says the G580 clocks 3085kg, a reason why the claimed 0-100kph acceleration time of 4.7 seconds is slightly slower than the V8’s 4.3s.
The electric evolution is literally that. It uses a modified version of the petrol’s ladderframe chassis, with the battery pack modules – the same as those in the EQS luxury limo – packaged within the underpinnings so it can serve as a structural component of the vehicle.
The battery capacity is 116kWh but the G-Wagen’s bluff body means driving range is a claimed 434-473km in European WLTP testing. An EQS luxury sedan with the same battery pack is good for 820km.
Even though it has been reduced by 04Cd (and has aero-optimised alloys), the drag co-efficient remains a brick-like 0.44Cd. DC fast charging at up to 200kW is claimed – 10-80% recharge time of 32 minutes, or 170km of range in 15 minutes of charging – as well as 11kW AC home charging.
The four motors each have their own two-speed transmission with low and highrange transmission, and allow for ‘virtual’ differential locks, through torque vectoring, in place of mechanical units.
The low-range mode activates a 2:1 reduction gear for off-road use in Rock mode at speeds of up to 85kph, while there is an off-road ‘cruise control’ function which maintains a desired speed of up to 25kph on uphill or downhill surfaces, controllable using the steering-wheel paddles.
Never fear about taking all this ohmoomph near water. A wading depth of 850mm is 150mm greater than petrol G-Class variants. It has 250mm-plus of ground clearance, and 32-degree approach, 20.3-degree breakover and 30.7-degree departure angles and is capable of driving on sideways slopes with angles up to 35 degrees, and up 45-degree inclines.
The battery seems well protected. The car has a 26mm-thick underbody panel made of “an intelligent material mix that includes carbon” – claimed to be stronger, and a third of the weight of a steel alternative – which weighs 57.6kg, and is attached to the ladder frame with more than 50 screws.
The suspension in the G580 is doublewishbone independent front and rigid De Dion axle rear, aided by adaptive dampers shared with petrol and diesel versions.
Comfort, Sport, Individual, Trail and Rock drive modes avail as well as 360-degree cameras with a ‘transparent bonnet’ function which displays obstacles directly in front of the vehicle that the driver cannot see over the bonnet.
G-Steering, G-Turn and G-Roar are electric-specific. G-Turn uses the four motors – spinning the wheels on the left and right sides of the car in different directions on loose surfaces – to let the G580 ‘spin’ on the spot. It is available only when the car is in low-range and Rock modes.
G-Steering also acts to reduce the turning circle on loose surfaces in low-range mode at speeds up to 25kph. G-Roar? You already knew the answer. It’s a synthesised driving sound “inspired by the model family’s emotional V8 sounds”, which changes based on drive mode.
As said, overall, the electric looks just like the petrol and diesel siblings, but not wholly. As is usual, it has a face of its own, this presenting as a new front grille panel with four slim horizontal louvres, available in black, with an illuminated surround. In place of the rear-mounted spare wheel, it takes a rectangular storage box which can store charging cables, tools or snow chains.
Inside, the electric G-Class features a pair of 12.3-inch screens running MercedesBenz’s MBUX software, plus open-pore natural walnut wood trim, a new-generation steering wheel with touch-sensitive controls, and ambient lighting.
This article first appeared on Motoringnz.com.