In January 2025, Mercedes-Benz launched its electrified G-wagon in India. Barring the green number plates that are mandated for electric cars, in appearance, the Mercedes-Benz G580 EQ Technology Edition One ( ₹3.1 crore, ex-showroom) did very little to indicate that it is electrified. It retained most design elements from the standard G-wagon, which, interestingly, included the traditional slatted grille, and not the LED-specked glass front facade that Mercedes-Benz uses in all of its other electric cars.
As the electric G-wagon marked one year in India, Mint took the G580 Edition One electric SUV out for a drive to the arid, bumpy inroads of Khetri, Rajasthan—a route with sporadic charging spots, expanses of dust, and sudden stretches of broken roads. The drive felt an apt test for all the things the G-wagon prides itself for: Ruggedness, comfort, and a sense of theatre. More importantly, one question needed answering—would electrifying the drivetrain change its core characteristics?
Not the only luxury car
The German auto giant, India’s number one by market share in the luxury segment, is not the only major brand that has electrified recognizable titles. Ford’s Mustang Mach-E comes to mind, though despite multiple rumours of an impending launch, the American carmaker’s abrupt September 2021 exit from the India market likely stalled plans. The other electrified versions of recognizable iconic cars available here are the Mini Cooper SE, the electric version of BMW’s 7 Series in the i7 (which Mint drove), and Porsche’s electrified Cayenne SUV.
The limited portfolio of top traditional cars available in electrified powertrains reflects the traditionalist petrol preferences of automotive loyalists. However, the evolution in the luxury space shows that carmakers are making an effort to manufacture cars that retain their core characteristics, and even even go beyond them.
The off-road experience
One of the highlights of the G580 EQ, for instance, is the ‘G-turn’ feature. In this, selecting the ‘rock’ drive terrain mode also activates the ‘low range’ gear mode. The latter refers to a specialized gear that off-road cars use when travelling through tricky terrain. Once it is activated, the 3.5-ton, 4.6-metre long SUV can be turned on a solitary spot by using the paddle shifters behind the steering wheel.
There are other tech features, like the ‘transparent bonnet’. This is a camera mode where the SUV stitches together camera feeds from one camera up front and two on either of the front sides to simulate a real-time view of the surface below the car. It is clear that even with an electrified powertrain, the G580 EQ remains as capable of “serious” off-road driving as its petrol and diesel brethren.
In fact, the G580 EQ actually leverages its electric foundations to amplify its core offroading characteristics. This is due to the fact that by Mercedes-Benz has equipped the SUV with four individual, independent electric motors assigned to each wheel. Each motor uses its own standard and low-range gearing to ensure that the G580 EQ can activate features like the ‘G-steering’. This enables drivers to manage tight steering angles, a crucial characteristic in tricky environments.
Coupled with these come the typical perks of an electric car. The G580 EQ generates total power of 587 brake horsepower (bhp), with 1164 newton-metres (Nm) of torque. In simple terms, this translates to a surge of power on the highway befitting a powerful SUV, while considerably masking the car’s massive length, without making it feel unnaturally light or lacking in heft. The car claims a 0-100 kilometres per hour (kph) time of 4.7 seconds.
Beyond these technical details, the dynamics of the car gives someone who loves driving much to enjoy. But if the car is is rarely seen on the road, that is because it isn’t for everyone. Most of its buyers would be affluent driving enthusiasts.
But many in India may not find its more thrilling characteristics to be of actual real-world use, as there are few off-road tracks to pursue here. A greater lure, in this case, could be the other stuff that the G580 EQ offers—great acceleration for quick overtakes, precise steering for moving through truck traffic on highways, and the feeling of invincibility that has helped the G-wagon garner its cultish reputation over its 47 years of existence.
In most ways, the G580 EQ is an antidote to Mercedes-Benz’s other electrified cars, such as the EQS/EQE SUV lineups. The latter are meant for comfort driving, and everything from their suspensions to driving characteristics are meant for chauffeured, rear-seat passengers.
The right formula?
For many, the G580 EQ’s strategy of adding features that amplify its tough credentials works well to make sure that its electrification is a successful experiment. This, in turn, could well be a factor that other top cars may follow in their electrified avatars.
For instance, an electrified Mini Cooper would be a great enthusiast car that only amplifies the latter’s sporty, go-kart-like driving dynamics. An all-electric Porsche Cayenne, on the other hand, could also do well to retain its plaid stability, while its sporty driving modes can leverage the electric powertrain to reaffirm its performance credentials.
Does it work? Absolutely. Driving the Mercedes-Benz G580 EQ Technology Edition One SUV is a great experience, and adds a real-world range of somewhere in the ballpark of 400km to ensure that even the running costs of this behemoth is actually lesser than its combustion engine counterparts—be it the AMG G63 or the G450d AMG-Line, also available in India.
In the long run, it is in fact this very formula that can help greater adoption of electrified powertrains in the country, as the availability of charging infrastructure grows at considerable pace. For the most part, buyers eyeing this category of cars will be more confident that the adoption of electric powertrains does not kill their true essence.
The sure-footed innovation of the G580 EQ, on this note, sets great precedent in an attempt to prove to the people that as of now, the electrified future is off to a great start.