Photo: CarPix
A suggestion from the Shah of Iran led to the development of the Gelandewagen, an off-road vehicle originally designed for military use. Previously sold in certain markets under the Puch brand, the G-Class SUV was introduced in 1979 with three engine choices and five body styles.
The W460 soldiered on until 1992. Two years prior, the W463 entered the scene with significantly revised everything. Assembled by contract manufacturer Magna Steyr in Austria, the W463 would receive a ground-up redesign in 2018 for the 2019 model year. The mid-cycle refresh is due to arrive in late 2023 for 2024, and with it, a full-electric G under the EQG nameplate will also roll out. Recently spied winter testing, the EQG has already been shown as a design study and pre-production prototype.
Still a work in progress, the latest prototype wears black-and-blue camo with a topographic motif up front and an EV motif out back. Although camouflaged like there’s no tomorrow, the front grille is obviously different from the Gelandewagen’s internal combustion-powered variants.
Be that as it may, the body-on-frame chassis of the EQG is closely related to that of its fossil-fuel brothers. The front bumper is also different, only a lil’ bit, and the same can be said about the rear bumper.
The oval-shaped openings in the rear fenders are somewhat intriguing, but more intriguing still, there’s no spare wheel attached to the side-opening tailgate. As far as the concept is concerned, the spare wheel’s place is taken by a square-ish storage box designed specifically for the charging cable. Given that Mercedes promised G-Class levels of off-road capability from the EQG, the real deal is expected with a spare wheel.
Reportedly going on sale in 2024, the all-electric overlander is also expected to be priced higher than the G-Class. Estimates range from a starting price of $150,000 to $200,000 or thereabouts, which is top dollar for an electric vehicle that certainly won’t blow your socks off in terms of driving range. The G 550 for the U.S. market, for example, tips the scales at 5,554 pounds or 2,519 kilograms if you prefer the metric system. It’s pretty good compared to the 9,063-lb (4,111-kg) GMC Hummer EV, but still heavy, and the battery-electric variant is certain to be a lot heavier.
On the upside, nobody is expected to take the EQG off the beaten path for hundreds of miles at a time. Battery aside, the additional weight also comes courtesy of no fewer than four electric motors. The Stuttgart-based automaker is coy on specifics, but we do know that different power levels are in the offing, including a full-blown performance model from AMG.
Emmerich Schiller, the big kahuna of Mercedes-Benz G GmbH, let it slip that the 2024 Mercedes-AMG EQG will match the straight-line acceleration of the G 63 on the blacktop. To whom it may concern, the G 550 needs 5.6 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour), whereas the G 63 is listed with 4.5 seconds by the German automaker.
Still a work in progress, the latest prototype wears black-and-blue camo with a topographic motif up front and an EV motif out back. Although camouflaged like there’s no tomorrow, the front grille is obviously different from the Gelandewagen’s internal combustion-powered variants.
Be that as it may, the body-on-frame chassis of the EQG is closely related to that of its fossil-fuel brothers. The front bumper is also different, only a lil’ bit, and the same can be said about the rear bumper.
The oval-shaped openings in the rear fenders are somewhat intriguing, but more intriguing still, there’s no spare wheel attached to the side-opening tailgate. As far as the concept is concerned, the spare wheel’s place is taken by a square-ish storage box designed specifically for the charging cable. Given that Mercedes promised G-Class levels of off-road capability from the EQG, the real deal is expected with a spare wheel.
Reportedly going on sale in 2024, the all-electric overlander is also expected to be priced higher than the G-Class. Estimates range from a starting price of $150,000 to $200,000 or thereabouts, which is top dollar for an electric vehicle that certainly won’t blow your socks off in terms of driving range. The G 550 for the U.S. market, for example, tips the scales at 5,554 pounds or 2,519 kilograms if you prefer the metric system. It’s pretty good compared to the 9,063-lb (4,111-kg) GMC Hummer EV, but still heavy, and the battery-electric variant is certain to be a lot heavier.
On the upside, nobody is expected to take the EQG off the beaten path for hundreds of miles at a time. Battery aside, the additional weight also comes courtesy of no fewer than four electric motors. The Stuttgart-based automaker is coy on specifics, but we do know that different power levels are in the offing, including a full-blown performance model from AMG.
Emmerich Schiller, the big kahuna of Mercedes-Benz G GmbH, let it slip that the 2024 Mercedes-AMG EQG will match the straight-line acceleration of the G 63 on the blacktop. To whom it may concern, the G 550 needs 5.6 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour), whereas the G 63 is listed with 4.5 seconds by the German automaker.
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