When Mercedes launched the fully redesigned G-Class at Detroit back in 2018, they brought out G-Class fan (and also product of Austria) Arnold Schwarzenegger to introduce it. During the banter between him and Daimler Chair Dieter Zetsche, Schwarzenegger asked if they would do an electric version for him. I was there, and my ears suddenly pricked up because I was hoping for some surprise confirmation that they would do an electric model. Sadly, Zetsche gave a generic statement about always considering things and weighing demand. But it seems that Mercedes has been playing with the idea, as evidenced by the Mercedes-Benz EQG you see above, which apparently is a near-production vehicle.
The EQG looks very much like its gas-powered chassis donor save for some details. Most of those details are additional lighting. The rub strips along the sides are illuminated, as is the badge and the grille surround. There are even circular running lights in the mirrors and illuminated blue squares in the solid grille. Instead of a spare tire on the back, there’s a square storage box meant to evoke a wall-mounted charging station. On the roof is a large flat rack with an embossed G on the top and wide LED auxiliary lighting front and back. The EQG also has enormous 22-inch wheels.
Although Mercedes left out details such as battery size and power, it did reveal that the EQG features four electric motors. It even has a selectable low-range for off-roading. Suspension design is similar with an independent front and a rear solid axle mounted to the body-on-frame chassis. The battery pack is also stored in the frame. It should be quite capable at crawling over rocks and up grades, and Mercedes says it will meet the same requirements of the internal-combustion models.
A production version of this concept is being developed, but Mercedes hasn’t said when it may be available. If this concept is as near-production as Mercedes says, we bet we’ll see the real deal in just a couple of years. And we bet Schwarzenegger is first on the list to get one.
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