Mercedes Benz is expanding its EQ range with the EQG concept (Wagen).
Mercedes-Benz makes its own decisions. Whether it’s designing an 843-horsepower four-door car or repurposing old airbags, the business takes a balanced approach to tradition and defying convention.
The Mercedes-Benz G-Class, a boxy SUV that has been a cornerstone of the brand’s range for a long time and is likely one of its best-ever, is one of its most recognizable cars and arguably one of its best-ever.
However, as the luxury manufacturer pushes toward electrification, even the most traditional of vehicles will require a new approach to keep up with the times.
As a result, Mercedes-Benz has introduced the EQG Concept, an all-electric G-Class that is a “near-production study.”
Despite the fact that an electric G-Class is novel and exciting, Mercedes recognizes that the SUV’s appearance has stayed essentially constant over the years, which contributes to its attractiveness.
As a result, the new Concept EQG is easily recognizable as a G-Class, with lighted stripes indicating that something is different.
It has a two-tone finish on top and bottom, with a glossy black top and a “gloss aluminum beam” on the bottom. A continuous deep black grille with an illuminated three-pointed star has replaced the radiator grille.
The lighted strip that runs all the way around the grille is complemented by an animated pattern of squircles in Mercedes-EQ blue.
Illuminated accent strips, as well as 22-inch polished aluminum alloy wheels in a distinctive design, are featured on the profile. The standard spare wheel cover has been replaced with a lockable box with white lighted highlights that Mercedes claims can be used to store the charging wire.
On top, a white LED strip in the front and a red LED strip in the back of the flat roof rack in high-gloss black.
The white stripe on the front “is a modern interpretation of the searchlight, needed for difficult off-road excursions – and thereby highlights the seriousness of the Concept EQG in this area: not despite, but exactly because of its all-electric propulsion,” according to Mercedes.
“From the pre-chamber naturally aspirated diesel of the early days to the AMG 4.0-liter V8 in the current top model, the G63,” says Mercedes managing director Dr. Emmerich Schiller, “electricity is the natural evolution for a 40-year-old SUV that has always boasted the latest drive technology.”
But this isn’t simply a concept car; Mercedes wants us to know that it, like every other G-Class before it, is a serious off-roader. It features a ladder frame with independent front suspension and a solid rear axle designed specifically for the electric drivetrain.
Four electric motors located near the wheels will provide “unique driving characteristics,” while a shiftable two-speed gearbox will let you control power while crossing difficult terrain.
Before becoming a series production model, the SUV will be tested on Graz’s 1,445-meter-high Schockl mountain, demonstrating its off-road capabilities.
It was only a matter of time before this renowned SUV turned electric, and thanks to the battery’s low centre of gravity, it could be the best G-Class off-roader ever.
