From G-Class to Kindergarten G: Mercedes Goes Electric (But Still Can't Tell Us Its Name)
Well, butter my biscuit and call me shocked! (Electric pun intended.) It's been a whisper, a rumor, a backstage mumble for years. But at last, the electrified version of the mighty G-Class from Mercedes is making its debut soon. By the sounds of it, though, Mercedes might be a tad indecisive about what to call it.
It's taken four long years since they announced the G-Class would shed its dinosaur juice cravings and go electric. Now, apparently, it's almost here. And folks, it’s been a two-year tease since we first saw the Concept EQG. One has to wonder, have the Mercedes folks been sipping too much Schnapps?
The details? As tight as a hipster's skinny jeans. But thanks to some snitches (bless them), we've got some tea to spill. The EQG is going to use the same old G-Class ladder frame chassis, which makes me chuckle. "Hey! Let's make it new, but keep it the same!" It's like putting my dear old Grandpa in skinny jeans.
This electric wonder will have a quad-motor powertrain, one for each wheel. Because who doesn't want their luxury SUV to spin like a top? The “G-Turn,” they're calling it. I'm calling it dizzy. But perhaps the big news (drum roll, please) is the silicon anode battery chemistry. Developed with Sila, this battery promises 20-40% more energy density compared to our current lithium-ion friends. But will the EQG be a marathon runner? Nope! More like a sprinter that needs frequent water breaks.
Now, before the petrol heads throw a fit, the classic ICE G-Class isn’t retiring to Florida just yet. The electric and gasoline versions will coexist like that odd couple from your local bar – one old and grumbling, the other zippy and full of sparks.
And if you're worried about this electric giant facing the wild, fear not! Its battery will be cozied up in a steel case with a carbon fiber-reinforced polymer shell. If only my last relationship had that kind of protection.
Oh, and where's this electric G behemoth coming from? The lovely folks at Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria will be the stork delivering this big baby. One has to wonder, will they send it off with a sachertorte?
As for the name? Mercedes hinted at dropping the EQ title. Are they going through a midlife crisis? First, it was the G-Class. Now, the EQG? Tomorrow, who knows? Perhaps they'll follow BMW's lead and give us multiple propulsion choices under one model name. Gasoline? Electric? Hybrid? Might as well throw in a hamster wheel!
As big as the news of an electric G-Wagen may be on its own, there are even juicier details popping its head from the rumor land. Mercedes is apparently so impressed with the public’s response to the new electric G and a sheer amount of inquiries apparently made them think. About what, you ask? About babies. No, seriously. Mercedes is planning to give us a smaller version of the electric G. Cue the images of Suzuki Jimny dressed up as a G-Class and you get the idea. Oh, I can’t wait for the name of this one - Baby G? Little G? Kindergarten G?
So, dear readers, stay tuned. If the past years have taught us anything, it's that Mercedes loves a slow reveal. I’ll be waiting, cocktail in hand, ready to see if the EQG and its smaller Mini-Me-G are worth the hype.
Yours truly,
Captain Electro
