Mercedes-Benz is currently in the process of making an electric version of their popular G-Class cars, called EQG. This electric version could arrive at the end of this year or maybe next year.
Back in 2019, Mercedes’s CEO Ola Källenius had said they were thinking of getting rid of the traditional G-Class and moving towards electric vehicles. However, he decided that since the G-Class is iconic and special, it should be the last Mercedes car to be ever built.
This year (2021), a new car was released that looks like the regular G-Class. It’s called EQG, and it has a special design for the batteries so they don’t weigh down the body.
The EQG has an electric motor for each wheel as well as a special 2-speed transmission to help with off-road driving. Mercedes claims that the EQG can handle going up really steep hills and mountains, like 100% grades, just like the regular G-Class.
The new Mercedes EQG will have a feature called “G-Turn” which allows it to do a cool 360° spinning maneuver, also known as a tank turn. On the outside of the car, there’s an illuminated display instead of the traditional grille – and this could be something we see in the production version too because engineers are actively trying to hide its grille on the prototype!
The car being made has a storage box on its back. It replaces where the spare tire usually goes, and probably contains charging tools. Mercedes didn’t say how long it will travel, but it will have special material in its battery that helps the battery store more energy!
If you’re interested in getting an electric G-Class today, Kreisel from Austria offers a way to convert your classic G-Wagon into an electric auto. The conversion features a strong 80-kwh battery and two motors – one mounted on each axle – that provides an incredible 482 hp of power. And guess what? Arnold Schwarzenegger was one of the first people to use Kreisel’s conversion.