You know that something has truly become mainstream when humanity starts making extreme and frankly silly examples of it. As we always eventually do.
As such, the wider acceptance of EVs as a mainstream form of transport has now clearly reached its pinnacle, thanks to the very existence of the sublimely ridiculous Mercedes-Benz G 580. Or “Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ Technology” to use its full name, which we won't be doing.
While you could argue that the GMC Hummer EV was an example of extreme silliness and EVs colliding, that is a thoroughly modern vehicle designed from the ground-up to be electric, whereas Mercedes has taken a step back and said “let’s just jam a massive battery into our ladder chassis SUV!”
It must be pointed out, however, that what Mercedes has done with the G Wagen is considerably more involved, more in-depth and excitingly more expensive than just a rushed backyard EV conversion, with some truly remarkable efforts gone into making the G 580 a proper G Wagen, but very electric.
But, yes, there is a massive battery - a 124kWh (116kWh usable) lithium-ion pack - jammed (or ‘integrated’ as Mercedes prefers to say) into the G Wagen’s traditional ladder chassis, but this is backed up with four electric motors that produce a combined 432kW of power and a frankly ludicrous 1165Nm of torque.
Like all electric Mercedes-Benz’s the G 580 has a fake engine noise that sounds particularly fake and is piped outside the car so pedestrians can screw up their noses at it too.
This makes for a 3080kg ladder-chassis SUV that will accelerate to 100km/h in 4.7 seconds, only beaten in the G Wagen range by the feral 430kW/850Nm turbo V8-powered AMG G 63 which does it in 4.4, strictly in line with Mercedes’ policy that nothing should be faster than an AMG. Even if it could be…
One area the electrified G Wagen has a massive advantage over its AMG cousin is ride quality. Shorn of the G 63’s rock-hard sporty suspension, the G 580 blends ferocious straight line speed with a far more compliant ride, which in turn makes for far easier fast progress on New Zealand roads.
Yes, there is body roll (more than 3 tonnes, remember) but it is remarkably well controlled and if you tip the G 580 into a corner hard it will lean quite a bit, then just stay there and track around with remarkable assurance.
The more fun way, however, is to head in slower (braking early and hard - again, 3 tonnes, remember…) and then use all of that mountain of torque to haul the big block out again, blunt nose rearing skyward and the rear squirming around in protest.
It is completely silly and utterly hilarious.
The G 580 is a genuine milestone in EV development; it is monstrously capable, superbly luxurious and, most importantly, magnificently silly.
Like all electric Mercedes-Benz’s the G 580 has a fake engine noise that sounds particularly fake and is piped outside the car so pedestrians can screw up their noses at it too. But there is extra encouragement beyond the fact it is awful to turn this off, as the look of sheer shock on peoples faces when they see something the size (and shape) of a small block of flats belting aggressively forward in complete silence never gets old.
Of course, while all this prodigious performance is good and all, it – and that weight - do take their toll on range. While it may have an absolutely massive battery it still only has a range of 473km on the WLTP test cycle, with real world range being less than that. Particularly if you indulge in regular full-throttle starts from traffic lights. Which you will.
Despite all this electrical tech, the G 580 remains a proper G Wagen beneath it all, with the same stupidly capable off-road abilities as its ICE-powered siblings, but with a few tricks of its own thrown in.
With an approach angle of 32 degrees, a departure angle of 30.7 degrees, ramp-over of 20.3 degrees, 250mm of ground clearance and an 850mm wading depth, the G 580 is going pretty much anywhere it wants. Added to this, each of the four motors has its own two-speed transmission and it also has the ability to perform on-the-spot tank turns on demand. Which are weirdly aggressive and massively amusing.
Despite all of this rugged ability though, the inside of the G 580 is pure luxury, as it is in all G Wagens, packed with tech and standard equipment with lashings of leather and carbon fibre, a slick dual screen display and some fantastically comfortable seats.
The G 580 is brutally fast and supremely comfortable, as well as being surprisingly manoeuvrable for something roughly the size of a small building
There are quirks in the comprehensive equipment list, however, like the fact that the G 580 doesn’t have a full-size spare wheel, has no certified roof rack available and isn’t rated for towing. For… reasons.
What initially appears to be a spare mounted in the traditional position on the rear door is, on closer inspection, a smaller, squarer storage locker that can hold charging cables and the like. Apparently a full-size spare is being “worked on”, but you aren’t likely to see any official towing ability any time soon. But then, you couldn’t actually tow much on a standard car license anyway (it weighs 3 tonnes, remember).
Quirks aside, the G 580 is a genuine milestone in EV development; it is monstrously capable, superbly luxurious and, most importantly, magnificently silly.
Its mere existence is utterly unnecessary and the fact that it does actually exist is the clearest indicator that EVs have reached mainstream acceptance. After all, when we do something this silly, we have clearly accepted a new normal.
How much is the Mercedes-Benz G 580?
The big EV lands at a price as hefty as its weight; $231,400. This is undeniably a lot of money, but then it is more than $110,000 cheaper than the Mercedes-AMG G 63 that it is almost as fast as - and considerably more comfortable than.
What are the key statistics for the Mercedes-Benz G 580?
The G 580 packs a big 116kWh battery into it's ladder chassis platform, with a 108kW electric motor for each wheel. Yes, you read that right; four electric motors with a combined output of 432kW and a truly colossal 1165Nm of torque. But that's not all, because each motor also gets its own two-speed automatic transmission to make sure it is just as unstoppable off road as a G Wagen should be.
Is the Mercedes-Benz G 580 efficient?
Well, it's a 3 tonne SUV with a massive battery and a claimed range of less than 500km. So, no. Real world range is considerably less than Mercedes' claim (generally 400km or less) and the company's average economy claim of between 28 and 30kWh/100km isn't exactly great, but is still quite optimistic...
Is the Mercedes-Benz G 580 good to drive?
The G 580 is brutally fast and supremely comfortable, as well as being surprisingly manoeuvrable for something roughly the size of a small building, making it a delightfully easy thing to live with in daily driving. While it's sheer size and weight make it more of a cruiser than a corner carver, it is actually surprisingly capable of being hustled along a winding road - with plenty of well-controlled and predictable body roll making it quite amusing to do so too.
Is the Mercedes-Benz G 580 practical?
It is practical in the sense that it is enormously spacious and luxuriously roomy, with a huge boot and plenty of storage options around the cabin. However, it is also weirdly impractical in that it lacks a number of things you expect from a large off-road SUV, such as a spare wheel and the ability to fit a tow bar.
What do we like about the Mercedes-Benz G 580?
The joy of blasting away from the traffic lights in a massive SUV that is utterly silent never gets old, while the extreme luxury of the interior is delightfully decadent.
What don’t we like about the Mercedes-Benz G 580?
The lack of a spare wheel is an annoying (and off-road-limiting) omission and the fake engine noise is particularly fake.
What kind of person would the Mercedes-Benz G 580 suit?
Someone who wants the ultimate electric off-roader, but will likely never actually take it off the road. Which is fine - after all, that applies to most super-capable ICE 4X4s as well. As well as anyone who wants something truly unique and, quite frankly, gloriously pointless.
