- Work on the concept for the electric G-Class has already begun
- Would be part of the new EQ electric sub-brand
The Mercedes-Benz G-Class is an icon in more ways than one. It has been on sale since 1979 as a go-anywhere SUV and has been a status symbol ever since. Now, with the inevitable electric future, an all-electric G-Wagon isn’t too far.
Infamous for its gas-guzzling credentials, the G-Class electric has been under consideration for quite some time now. In its newest generation, the legendary 4x4 has smashed all its previous sales record testifying its importance on the global scale. To put things into perspective, the carmaker sold around 34,912 units of the G-Class in 2019, a boost of 60 per cent over 2017. But the Three-Pointed Star is working diligently towards turning carbon-neutral and hence having an old-school 4x4 which gulps down fuel doesn’t seem a viable product to have in the line-up. Given that majority of Mercedes’ sales comes from SUVs – the EQC was the first electric vehicle to roll out from the German carmaker’s stable. In future, the electric G-Class could become a flag-bearer for the electric line-up when it arrives.
It’d be too early to guess the powertrain of the G-Class. But since the nameplate carries the legendary go-anywhere capabilities we hope to see a potent EQ electric powertrain under the skin. It will be backed by advance off-road hardware as well. Styling tweaks are a given which will be in line with the other members of the EQ brand but the characteristic boxy bodywork won’t be ruled out so soon. What’s more, the G-Class is already one of the most expensive Mercedes-Benz you can buy right now and its electric derivative would definitely be tsoff the char.
Although no timeline is available for the electric G-Class’ arrival, we could hope to see it in concept form in a couple of years while production model should hit the streets by the middle of this decade.