The new electric G-Wagen debuts at a lavish event in the Hollywood Hills.
At a swanky event in Franklin Canyon, a popular hiking spot in the Hollywood Hills, Mercedes-Benz tonight unveiled the production version of the fully electric G-Wagen. The new EV will officially hit the U.S. market for the 2025 model year known as the G 580 with EQ Technology, featuring four electric motors that deliver a combined 579 horsepower and 859 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels. But further details including pricing and an EPA range estimate will follow at a later date.
Subtle revisions for the electric G-Wagen include a blacked-out grille.
After multiple teasers, including an appearance at last year’s inaugural Las Vegas Formula 1 Grand Prix, the new G-Wagen’s debut takes the original concept to reality. Similar to the internal-combustion G, the EQ Technology will mount within a body-on-frame chassis, with independent front suspension and a de Dion-type solid rear axle. A torsion-resistant casing houses 116 kilowatt-hours of lithium-ion battery cells, and four e-motors mount into the ladder frame to send power to each wheel individually.
That layout allows for the tank turn theatrics that Mercedes put on at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, as each wheel can spin independently of the others and reduce the G’s turning radius to essentially a rotation in place. The quad-motor layout will also feature what Mercedes dubs a “selectable low range off-road gear reduction” that improves four-wheel-drive traction enough to allow climbs up to a 100 percent grade (a 45-degree slope). The system uses an individual transmission for each wheel, something of a surprise given the instantaneously available torque that other off-roading EVs tend to harness via software programming, rather than physical hardware.
Rapper Travis Scott performs on the roof of a new electric G-Wagen.
Stats and Specs of the 2025 G 580 with EQ Technology
In comparison to a current G 550 or AMG G 63, the G 580 with EQ Technology also improves the platform’s fording depth to 33.5 inches, a significant increase of 5.9 inches. And the EV also boasts 9.8 inches of ground clearance between the axles, as well as approach, departure and breakover angles of 32, 30.7 and 20.3 inches, respectively.
But Mercedes also declined to share the electric G’s curb weight and initial claims of a 4.6-second sprint to 60 miles an hour suggest the electric drivetrain’s componentry will add significant heft, potentially creating repercussions both on and off-road. For context, an AMG G 63 weighs just over 7,000 pounds and boasts 627 lb-ft of torque, but can log a 0-60 time as low as 3.9 seconds. Perhaps the electric G’s closest comparable, a Rivian R1S with 121-kWh Standard+ battery pack and dual motors, weighs in over 7,000 pounds as well—but can still manage a 3.5-second 0-60 time. And given that the Rivian was designed originally to utilize a skateboard battery layout and four-wheel independent suspension, taking the electric G’s ladder frame, solid rear axle and acceleration stats into account, the Benz may well weigh far more.
The G-Wagen’s boxy design and body-on-frame chassis carry over to the EV.
An Electric SUV for the Hollywood Hills
To support such a large battery pack, the G 580 with EQ Technology supports DC charging speeds of up to 200 kilowatts, good enough for a claimed 10-80% charge in 32 minutes. On AC power, the G EV will require around 13.5 hours to fully top up.
From the exterior, differentiating an electric G-Wagen from the internal-combustion variants will not require too much close scrutiny. The front grille covered in gloss black plastic serves as an easy indicator, as does a lack of side or rear-exit exhaust tips, plus a small optional “Design Box” cargo bin in place of the spare tire (which houses a charge cable). More subtle design revisions for the EV run the gamut from a small roof spoiler to a raised hood, flared rear wheel arches, aerodynamically enhanced wheels and badging—many of which not only improve aero considerations for range, but also the reduction of wind noise penetrating into the cabin.
Exterior updates aim to improve aerodynamics simultaneously for range and wind noise.
Range, Pricing, and Future Models
The G 580 with EQ Technology looks nearly identical to a gasoline-powered G on the inside, so that silent ride will serve as the main cue to the electric powertrain housed beneath the passenger compartment. Of course, extensive customization options inside and out remain available through Mercedes-Benz’s Manufaktur program.
Every electric G sold in the U.S. for the 2025 model year will come specced in an exclusive Edition One package, with the choice of five paint colors: South Sea Blue Magno, Moonlight White Magno, Moonlight White Metallic, Arabian Grey and Obsidian Black Metallic. Blue brake calipers, a Design Box as standard, the AMG Line and Night Package, as well as 20-inch AMG wheels also come equipped, as does the Active Multicontour Seat Plus Package and fake engine sounds for the electric powertrain.
Pricing for an Edition One or forthcoming standard models also remains under wraps. Expect a significant markup from the base G 550’s starting $143,000 sticker, though whether the G 580 with EQ Technology will eclipse the AMG G 63 at $183,000 also remains a serious question—as does the obvious mystery of whether a higher-spec AMG E Performance or portal-axle 4x4² variant of the fully electric G-Wagen is already under development, as well.
