- Mercedes-Benz is getting closer to launching the long-awaited electric G-class, and the evidence is this camouflaged production version that’s on display at the 2024 CES technology show (formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas.
- It’s our closest look yet at the EV G-wagen, and an official debut should happen by the end of 2024.
- Little is known about the electric G, including its official name, but we suspect it may ultimately be called EQG.
The luxury electric SUV version of the G-wagen is inching closer to production, and Mercedes-Benz brought this camouflaged prototype to the CES show floor to whet our appetites. The off-road icon has been undergoing an electric transformation for a few years now, kicked off by the Concept EQG show car from 2021.
Judging by the looks of the prototype on the show floor, the EV SUV stays fairly true to the concept and is easily recognizable as a G-class. The rear-mounted spare tire is hidden by a squared-off cover similar to the concept vehicle, and the linear lines and flat hood continue to honor the original Geländewagen.
Mercedes-Benz has released no official specs, but we suspect the upcoming SUV will be offered with at least two electric motors for full-time all-wheel drive. We hope to see the production variant with an optional four-motor powertrain, which has been flaunted on the Concept EQG via its headline-generating tank-turn capabilities. The feature allows the concept to turn around in a 360-degree motion by powering wheels on either side of the SUV in the opposite direction.
We also don’t know if the production vehicle will wear the name EQG to align it with electric vehicles elsewhere in Mercedes-Benz’s portfolio, or if it will eschew that recent tradition in favor of the G-class name. The prototype on display at CES wears a license plate that says the latter.
Whatever it’s called, we expect to see the production version of Mercedes’s new electric off-roader debut sometime in 2024 and go on sale in 2025. When it’s officially revealed, we’ll likely find out more about the SUV’s electric powertrain, battery capacity, and driving range. A refreshed version of the gasoline-powered model will probably be sold alongside the electric one, so if you’re not quite ready for an EV you’ll still be able to live your off-road (or Beverly Hills housewife) fantasies with a V-8 under the hood.
Drew Dorian is a lifelong car enthusiast who has also held a wide variety of consumer-focused positions throughout his career, ranging from financial counselor to auto salesperson. He has dreamed of becoming a Car and Driver editor since he was 11 years old—a dream that was realized when he joined the staff in April 2016. He’s a born-and-raised Michigander and learned to drive on a 1988 Pontiac Grand Am. His automotive interests run the gamut from convertibles and camper vans to sports cars and luxury SUVs.