Dusseldorf. Do you remember when climate was still an issue? Donald Trump was president for the first time in 2018. But the USA was still part of the Paris Climate Agreement, Greta Thunberg formed the international movement “Fridays for Future” from her school strike on the streets of Stockholm – and the then Daimler boss Dieter Zetsche stood on a stage in Detroit, together with Arnold Schwarzenegger, to present the new G-Class.
As usual, the iconic off-road vehicle with its V8 engine hummed onto the stage, but that didn’t fit with the green spirit of the time at all. And so Schwarzenegger extracted a promise from the Daimler boss that many in Stuttgart may regret today. Zetsche promised live in front of an audience: The G-Class will be electric.
The engineers in Stuttgart and Graz got to work. The result was six years later at the Chinese motor show in Shanghai and eight years later in front of our editorial team: the Mercedes G 580. The fully electric version of the off-road legend. An appearance in matt light blue.
The sheer vehicle data alone shows what a challenge it must have been to convert the off-road vehicle so that it could meet the expectations of demanding customers: four motors, one for each wheel, provide the all-wheel drive and catapult the test car, which weighs several tons with 588 hp, from 0 to 100 in 4.7 seconds. Without a doubt, the electric G-Class is a masterpiece of engineering.
If it weren’t for the E on the license plate and the small EQ badge on the side, you wouldn’t even be able to tell that the G 580 is purely electric. The massive ladder frame of the combustion engine G-Class remains, as does the iconic look.
As heavy as two VW Golfs
The car is a real heavyweight. At 3.1 tons, the electric G-Class weighs as much as two VW Golf 8s combined. The huge battery in the underbody, which has a whopping 116 kilowatt hours, is to blame. After all, such an off-road vehicle has air resistance like a wall cupboard and correspondingly high fuel consumption. In order to still have enough range, you need a large battery. But it weighs accordingly.
Externally, the electric G-Class can hardly be distinguished from the combustion engine variants. Photo: Luke Bay
And because a G-Class should, at least optionally, cut a good figure not only in Hamburg’s posh suburbs but also off-road, it must be protected against all kinds of environmental influences such as moisture, scratches and impacts.
When it comes to the drive, things get even more complex. Where the combustion engine version relies on a complex system of limited-slip differentials to optimally distribute the power to the four wheels, the G 580 goes one step further. Four motors on the ladder frame each drive one wheel. Each has an output of 108 kW (around 147 hp), so the electric G-Class has a total system output of 432 kW (588 hp).
Ready for any surface: There are special driving modes for the terrain. Photo: Luke Bay
The new drive suddenly makes things possible that previously seemed unthinkable. With the so-called G-Turn mode, for example, the car can turn on the spot like a tank; with the G-Steering mode, the turning circle becomes particularly small. There is a driving mode tailored to every surface.
Strategy: Birkin bag on wheels
Time to approach the dull blue colossus. A lot of things seem familiar at first: the large, round LED headlights, the powerful hood, the angular shape. The indicators are located on top of the fender. The star sits enthroned on the wide grille and above the massive bumper. It looks robust, present and just as iconic as you would expect from the G-Class.
In terms of dimensions, the electric version is no larger than its combustion counterparts – but it is still huge. At 1.99 meters high, it is just too high for the Handelsblatt underground car park. Before we damage the ceiling pipes, we prefer to park outside.
Classic shape: The G-Class is almost two meters high and has an angular design. Photo: Luke Bay
The classic shape of the G-Class attracts both admiring and envious glances. It’s not for nothing that the off-road vehicle was a central part of Mercedes’ luxury strategy. Mercedes boss Ola Källenius even described the G-Class as a “Birkin bag” on wheels. The offer was deliberately kept limited. The result: long waiting times and high residual values.
Things are different for the electric G-Class, given the rather cautious demand. The “Edition One” that we are testing started at 192,500 euros. The slightly less well-equipped basic model is now available from around 136,000 euros, which is still 12,000 euros away from the cheapest G-Class with a combustion engine.
Admittedly, these are still sums that are only spent on cars in the luxury class. The electric G-Class is excluded from all government subsidies.
Ready for any terrain – but actually too beautiful for that
Anyone who pulls themselves onto the leather-covered driver’s seat using the carrying handles will still feel like the count on a drive across the country estate.
A small plaque at the entrance gives an indication of what the G 580 is capable of. “Schöckl proved” is written there. This refers to the legendary off-road test track near Graz, on which the G-Class is said to have climbed gradients of 100 percent. The model is also being built in Austria with the help of our partner Magna. Please forgive us for not wanting or being able to repeat this experiment in the Lower Rhine Plain.
More from the Handelsblatt weekend
Instead, it goes into the morass of the fields – of course in consultation with the farmer. The model takes on this little bonus task with ease. The “Offroad Cockpit” can be activated at the push of a button. A camera on the ground helps to keep an eye on every obstacle. And turning in tight spaces also works impressively well.
The combination of electric drive and mechanical “low range” gear also comes from Mercedes partner Magna and ensures the perfect gear ratio off-road. After a bumpy ride, the car can also give you a hot back massage with relaxing music if you wish.
The G-Class is shampooed but not washed. Photo: Luke Bay
However, it is more difficult to get rid of the dirt afterwards. The gas station operator’s praise (“great car”) doesn’t help: the car wash quits the service given the size of the G-Class. In the end, the only thing that helps to get rid of mud and foam is a high-pressure cleaner and a friendly employee.
The trailer hitch is missing
The fact that carbon and aluminum was used extensively in the interior seems a little strange given its heavy weight. Is it really about every gram or just about the appearance? Probably the latter. And the whole thing is chic – as is the other material in the interior: black leather, blue decorative stitching. Mercedes has reached the top of the shelf here.
The high seating position in the G-Class has something majestic about it. Photo: Luke Bay
Lots of carbon and aluminum: The interior is very high quality. Photo: Luke Bay
The multimedia system, on the other hand, seems a little old-fashioned. Nobody expects a fully digital cockpit in an off-road vehicle. But the old MB.OS still runs on the two screens, so in new models like the CLA the system is faster and better. The G-Class system works with a correspondingly delayed reaction time and the parking aids are also less reliable.
But saving a little weight is also necessary. Because with a maximum payload of 415 kilograms, the G 580 is not suitable as a transporter for many people. The fact that the Elektro-G is not seen as a workhorse can be seen from the extras. A trailer hitch isn’t even available as an option. This is also only logical: even with a slight trailer, the trailer would quickly reach a weight above which a normal driving license would no longer be sufficient.
Around 555 liters fit in the trunk – less than with the combustion engine. Photo: Luke Bay
The trunk is also almost 100 liters smaller than the combustion engine. 555 liters are absolutely sufficient for most luggage and bulky items thanks to the box shape.
A frunk is missing under the hood. Photo: Luke Bay
Anyone who expects additional storage space under the huge hood will be disappointed. Here is just a black plastic cover. Cables and small items can be stored in the box that sticks to the rear. It would be far too small for a replacement tire anyway.
Like a dancing elephant
However, there is plenty of legroom for the passengers in the back seat. There are two screens installed in the test car that can be fed with multimedia content from the driver’s seat. The air conditioning or the route can also be controlled from there. Fathers and mothers can be assured: the screens can also be locked.
It’s nicer to look at the astonished faces when the G-Class pulls away from the traffic lights without roaring, as if it simply doesn’t accept the limits of physics. The electric model storms through city traffic like a dancing elephant and is of course not economical.
“Schöckl proved”: The Elektro-G also works under difficult conditions. Photo: Luke Bay
The almost upright windshield alone ensures plenty of air resistance and consumption that rarely falls below 30 kWh. Much more on the motorway. Converted, this is the energy contained in 2.5 liters of diesel and is therefore significantly more efficient than all G-Classes with combustion engines. But with an electric car, the energy has to be managed just for the range: the official 470 kilometers are quite optimistic, but in reality 350 kilometers are probably possible.
The cables for the cargo are hidden in the box at the rear. Photo: Luke Bay
But the biggest problem with this car: Hardly anyone buys it. A Mercedes executive said it even more clearly to the Handelsblatt months ago: “The car is sitting like lead at dealers, it’s a complete flop.” That’s hard – and also a bit unfair.
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Dieter Zetsche Follow
Does this mean Arnie’s difficult legacy is a burden? Even if the electric G-Class may not be a profit maker, it at least shows what German (and Austrian) engineers are capable of achieving even in the electric age. And this message is worth something.
First publication: January 23, 2026, 4:00 a.m.