Mercedes-Benz has revealed the EQG Concept, a fully electric SUV based on its G-Class luxury off-roader.
The G-Class, or Geländewagen, is steeped in tradition and heritage, and its boxy profile, tenacious off-road abilities, and sheer celebrity appeal make this a very noteworthy vehicle to rethink as all-electric—and a pedigreed counterpoint to the likes of the GMC Hummer EV or Rivian R1S.
In its press release on the EQG, Mercedes mentions that the electric concept is in keeping with a promise delivered by Arnold Shwazenegger—a big fan of the G-wagen as well as Hummer—at a Mercedes presentation in 2018.
Mercedes-Benz EQG Concept
There are no specs on the EQG yet, but the automaker did detail how it plans to make the vision a reality. Underneath, the concept builds on a familiar chassis design for the G-Class, with a body-on-ladder-frame layout that integrates the batteries within the frame. There’s an independent suspension in front and a rigid axle in back. Four electric motors are mounted inboard, but close to each wheel, and there’s a shiftable 2-speed gearbox allowing an especially low off-roading ratio.
Mercedes says that later in development the EQG will face 60-degree gradients as part of the Schöckl mountain in Graz, Austria. It says that on “suitable ground” it will be able to climb 100 percent grades.
Mercedes-Benz EQG Concept
The EQG Concept carries over the current G-Class’ boxy profile, but the concept’s chiseled corners look a little more rounded, and the overall look is a bit softer. But from the first glance it’s nothing but a “G.”
Distinctive aspects on the outside are the two-tone paint, with gloss black for the top and gloss aluminum on the bottom, and flanking the blacked-out radiator grille are round headlamps, and within the space a series of “round squares create a 3D effect. There’s also a band of lighting around the vehicle.
The concept rides on 22-inch polished alloy wheels and includes a lockable box said to resemble a wallbox.
To keep the design faithful to the original, it’s carried over a number of iconic design elements such as the G-Class’ distinctive door handle design, its closing sound, the outside protection strip, the exterior turn-signal indicators, and the exposed spare wheel.
Mercedes-Benz EQG Concept
We want to inspire our customers to switch to electric mobility with convincing products,” said Markus Schäfer, Daimler AG board of management member and Mercedes-Benz Cars COO. “An icon like the G-Class fulfills this task perfectly.”
The automaker calls the concept truck a “near-production study,” and says that the electrification of its off-road legend is “simply the logical next step.”
Mercedes says that it will be ready to go fully electric in some markets by the end of the decade, spurred with the introduction of three dedicated EV platforms by 2025, supported by a global network of battery factories and a brand-specific charging ecosystem. The G-Class sounds like a separate project altogether. But with this much head-turning potential, it deserves to be.
