Review: Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology

Utterly ridiculous, but also achingly relevant in an oil crisis like we are in today.

The matte blue paintwork stands out, but otherwise the electric G580 looks very similar to its ICE siblings.

If you were asked to point out the most gas guzzling car in the Mercedes range, the G-Wagen would be an easy choice. Weighing in at least 2.5 tons, it’s one of the most pollutive ways to get around town. Because of this, it has a really badass ‘feck off’ vibe that has endeared itself to the likes of newly minted wealth from overseas and flashy influencers. 

You wouldn't expect this to be an electric vehicle from its rugged looks.

But it also makes it one of the best candidates for electrification. All of that off-road wizardry weighs a lot, and could benefit from the muscular torque of electric motors. It all sounds a bit enigmatic, but the electric G-Wagen does make more sense than most electric cars out there.

A little storage box at the tailgate replaces the space tyre.

A 116 kWh battery is stacked within the traditional ladder frame chassis, employing the same independent front suspension and a rigid axle at the rear as the ICE G-Wagen. 473 km of range is just about average, but usable, and can be replenished by AC at 11 kW and DC at 200 kW. An electric motor at each wheel delivers 579 hp and 1,164 Nm of torque, while also generating virtual differential locks via torque vectoring. It’s a curious mix of old-school and new world that shouldn’t work on paper at all, but it does. 

The G-Wagen cues still abound.

The G-Wagen has always been heavy to begin with, so the 3 ton electric G580 doesn’t seem to lose out in any way in terms of composure and dynamism. In fact, it feels more effortless on the road, giving a pace that rivals that of the G63 AMG. The lack of any drama in doing so is a bit strange given you expect a thundering V8 sound, but at least you get away with absolutely no guilt in depressing the accelerator hard ever so often. The steering feel, seating position and ride comfort is very similar to the ICE G-Wagen; you’d only feel a significant difference when you bring the car to a halt. It’s punishing on the brakes and takes a longer distance than you’d expect, even with maximum regeneration set. 

These doors open and close like rifle bolts.

With precious little off-road space in Singapore, we didn’t get to try the car’s capabilities off the beaten path. But suffice to say that Mercedes made sure this car is equipped in every way possible to perform well in the rough stuff. There is a unique Offroad Cockpit on the dashboard that allows you to execute the G-Turn (spinning around its centre) and G-Steering (turning around its inside rear wheel). Ordinarily, these would just be gimmicks but I can see how these functions can come in handy while navigating tight off-road courses. 

The interior is comfortable and well-appointed.

I hate to say it, but there is definitely a place in the world for the electric G580. I mean, if the majority of its owners are never going to go off-road, then the electric version would suit their purposes even more as it is far more efficient in the urban commute. For the odd occasional off-road adventure, the electric G580 is more than up for the task too. If you’re not a dinosaur (like me) who insists on having a V8, going electric definitely makes sense for Singapore.

Photos by James Wong