Mercedes-Benz
- Mercedes-Benz offered a glimpse at the upcoming electric G-Wagen on Sunday.
- It took the wraps off of the Concept EQG, a near-production version of the future SUV.
- The Concept EQG has four electric motors and a rear cubby for charging cables.
- See more stories on Insider's business page.
The Mercedes-Benz G-Class SUV - colloquially known as the G-Wagen - has a lot going for it. It's spacious, capable, and, starting at $133,000, it's an undeniable status symbol.
The downside of the G-Wagen's brick-like shape and ginormous size is that it drinks fuel like nothing else, getting a horrendous 17 miles to the gallon. While G-Wagen owners can no doubt afford to burn through that much gasoline, our poor atmosphere certainly can't.
So, as part of its massive shift toward electric vehicles, Mercedes is building a greener G-Wagen. It's called the EQG, and it'll go into production around 2024. Mercedes on Sunday unveiled a near-production concept version of the SUV at the Munich Auto Show that gives us strong indications of what it has in store for the EQG.
Mercedes-Benz
On the surface, the Concept EQG takes lots of design cues from the latest gas-powered G550. It has the same boxy profile with rounded-over edges. Up front is a pair of circular headlights, an iconic G-Wagen feature since the model debuted in the 1970s.
Mercedes-Benz
But there are some notable changes to the G-Class formula. The EQG concept gets a closed-off, glossy black grille, a signature design element of Mercedes-Benz's EQ lineup of EVs. With no engine to cool under the hood, EVs don't need air to flow through their grilles. Mercedes also did away with the G-Wagen's hallmark rear-mounted spare, opting instead for a square cubby that it says could be used to store charging cables.
To hammer home the point that this is a futuristic electric concept, Mercedes put LED lights all over the place: on the roof rack, running down the SUVs doors, on the rear storage compartment, and on the mirrors.
Mercedes-Benz
Now onto what's under the hood - figuratively, course.
The G-Class has always been known for its off-roading chops, and Mercedes doesn't want to lose any of those creds by going electric. The Concept EQG moves using four electric motors - one powering each wheel. Those motors are individually operable, which should make for great performance over rugged terrain.
Mercedes-Benz
The Concept EQG has a two-speed gearbox for dropping into a lower gear when venturing off road, Mercedes says. It comes with a similar suspension setup to the standard G-Class, but modified to accommodate a battery and motors.
Mercedes is aiming to sell exclusively electric models by 2030. On Sunday, the German automaker also unveiled two new electric sedans and an electric SUV that will go on sale soon.
source https://www.businessinsider.com/mercedes-electric-g-class-wagen-concept-eqg-suv-2021-9