Mercedes-Benz G-Class Electric Review & Prices

This is the Mercedes G-Class Electric, or G 580 to give its official title, and it’s a bit like luxury fashion brands like Chanel banning the use of fur in their clothes, because it’s an iconic name turned eco-friendly. However, unlike most of Chanel’s line-up, the electric ‘G’ is just at home on a muddy farm track as it is being paraded through the streets of Knightsbridge.

It’s an alternative to other upmarket electric SUVs such as the BMW iX, Volvo EX90, Lotus Eletre and forthcoming electric Range Rover. Perhaps even the curious Tesla Cybertruck.

The Mercedes G-Class’s design is very much a case of not fixing what ain’t broke, so you still get that distinctive boxy shape that goes back decades, but there are a few changes of note, such as the blockier lower bumper and new alloy wheel designs.

For the electric model there are some specific changes to make it more aerodynamic, which include a raised bonnet and a lip above the windscreen. Other EV-only options include a storage box for your charging cables in place of the spare wheel, and a full-length trim piece with a blue tint.

Mercedes G-Class Electric: electric range, battery and charging data

Range: 285 miles
Efficiency: 2.2mi/kWh
Battery size: 116kWh
Max charge speed: 200kW
Charge time AC: 11hrs 46mins, 0-100%, 11kW
Charge time DC: 32mins, 10-80%, 200kW
Charge port location: Right side rear
Power outputs: 587hp

The blue theme continues inside with the stitching in the upholstery offering a subtle hint that you’re sat in the electric G-Class. Otherwise it’s all very familiar, with the twin instrument and infotainment displays on the dashboard and standard-fit Burmester sound system, as well as high-quality materials everywhere you look.

There’s loads of room in the back seats and storage is decent throughout, but the 555-litre boot is a good chunk smaller than it is in the regular G-Class, and has less capacity than most electric alternatives.

Out on the road, the G-Class Electric is comfortable and easy to drive. The electric motors are really punchy and offer instant response, but it’s a bit of an odd sensation having all that performance with no sound. You can turn a synthetic ‘engine’ sound on, but it takes some getting used to, and on a twisty road its hefty weight means the lighter AMG G 63 model is more fun.

Off-road the G-Class Electric excels, though – and because the four-motor setup can individually control the wheels to maximise grip, it’s actually even more capable than the regular model. At 850mm, its wading depth is considerably higher than combustion-engined versions, too.

If you’re looking for a luxury electric SUV, and particularly one that will be more capable off-road than 99% of people will ever need, the Mercedes G-Class Electric is a brilliant choice. However, it costs from £180,000, which is double what some alternatives cost.

Order books haven't opened yet, but in the meantime you can check out the best regular Mercedes G-Class deals. You can also browse used Mercedes G-Class stock as well as other used Mercedes models. And if you want to sell your car online, Carwow can help with that, too.

The Mercedes G-Class Electric starts at £180,000 and this high price is in part because electric models are inherently expensive, but also because it’s only available in the highly specified Edition One trim. The regular diesel starts at about £136,000 and the high-performance AMG G 63 is about £185,000.

For context, even the high-performance version of the BMW iX starts at just under £125,000, or you can get a top-spec regular version for less than £80,000. The Volvo EX90 starts below £100,000 and the Lotus Eletre costs from £90,000. Whichever way you look at it, the electric G-Class is rather pricey.

Quiet and comfortable around town, but you can really feel the electric G’s weight in corners

In town

The Mercedes G-Class Electric is a big car, but its electric powertrain means that it feels responsive and alert to nip into gaps in traffic, rather than big and cumbersome. It’s really comfortable over bumps, though particularly rough surfaces can cause the car to shimmy a bit.

There are paddles on the back of the steering wheel that let you change the amount of regenerative braking you want. This allows you to make the car slow down quickly as soon as you lift off the throttle, which can make town driving more relaxing, but the G-Class doesn’t have a true one-pedal drive mode, unlike some other EVs.

On the motorway

At higher speeds, the G-Class Electric is comfortable, but there’s a bit of wind noise from the boxy body. At least the powerful electric motors mean you’ll have no trouble getting up to speed on the motorway, or pulling off rapid overtakes.

Here, you can set the regenerative braking to coast, so you keep your momentum up when you lift off the accelerator. There’s also an ‘intelligent’ setting, which won’t give you any regen unless it senses you’re approaching another car or need to slow for a corner.

On a twisty road

For a big, heavy car, the Mercedes G-Class Electric handles well in corners, but you can really feel its weight leaning on the tyres. The brakes feel like they’re having to work really hard to reign in its heft, too. It’s at its best if you customise the settings so the suspension is in its comfort setting to handle bumps, but the motors are set to sport so you get maximum performance. The V8-engined AMG G 63 is the more fun G-Class, though.

Spacious and practical throughout, but folding the rear seats is annoying and there’s a big ridge once you do

There’s plenty of room in the front of the Mercedes G-Class Electric and there’s plenty of storage space befitting a big, posh SUV. You get a huge area beneath the armrest, and there are heated and cooled cup holders too. You also get a wireless charging pad that has a removable lid for security. This area is home to two USB-C slots, too. The door bins are a good size and the glovebox is the only minor letdown, being a touch on the small side.

Space in the back seats

Rear seat space is excellent, with decent legroom and loads of headroom, with the only minor complaint being that the rear windows don’t go all the way down. The middle seat has plenty of space, though the cushion is harder and less comfortable than the outer seats. You get decent-sized door bins and posh aeroplane-style storage pockets in the back of the seats in front. There’s also an armrest that folds down to reveal two cupholders, and this allows for through-loading, too.

Boot space

Boot space in the regular Mercedes G-Class is 640 litres, but in the electric version this drops to 555 litres. That’s more than the 500 litres you get in a BMW iX, but less than the 655 litres in a Volvo EX90 and 688 litres in the Lotus Eletre.

Despite this, the G-Class Electric’s boot should be big enough for most, and at least the space is extremely usable thanks to its square shape. There are tie down points and nets to keep items from rolling around, too.

You can fold down the rear seats, but you can’t do it from the boot, so annoyingly you have to walk around to the rear doors and do so from there. Once you do, there’s a massive ridge, so it’s tricky to push big, heavy items through. You do get over 1,900 litres of capacity with the seats down though, which is on par with the alternatives mentioned above.

Posh and high-tech, but you still have to put up with Mercedes’ annoying touch-sensitive steering wheel buttons

Climb aboard the Mercedes G-Class Electric and the big, blocky design theme continues from the outside. You get a new steering wheel design – though, annoyingly, you still have the rubbish touch-sensitive controls on it – and the twin-screen infotainment display runs the latest software to make it snappy to respond to your inputs.

Material quality is fantastic for the most part, and you get some snazzy blue stitching to set the electric one apart from the rest.

One of the highlights of any Mercedes is the excellent Burmester sound system, which is standard equipment in the G-Class Electric. There’s also a rear seat infotainment system available as an optional upgrade, but although it works well, it feels a bit close to your face. Holding an iPad is more comfortable.

The Mercedes G-Class Electric has a massive 116kWh battery, but even though there have been design changes to make it more aerodynamic than the regular model, that boxy shape means its range isn’t fantastic. UK figures are yet to be confirmed, but Mercedes is currently quoting 285 miles between charges, which is some way off the BMW iX M60’s 348-mile range or Lotus Eletre R’s 310 miles – and that’s for the high-performance models, with each having less powerful versions that go even further.

You can at least top the car up pretty quickly at public charge points, with a maximum DC charge rate of up to 200kW giving a 10-80% capacity time of just over half an hour. It also comes with 11kW AC charging, and although most UK home chargers only go up to 7kW, the extra oomph is useful if you can take advantage of it.

There’s no first-year Vehicle Excise Duty to pay because the G-Class Electric is a zero-emission vehicle, and you don’t have to pay the surcharge for expensive cars in subsequent years, either. Benefit-in-kind is low for company car buyers, too – though considering the starting price it still won’t exactly be cheap.

The latest version of the Mercedes G-Class was tested by Euro NCAP in 2019 and scored the full five stars. Although the test has become a bit stricter since then, it’s unlikely that would change if it was retested today.

The G-Class Electric is only offered in high-specification Edition One trim currently, which includes loads of driver assistance kit such as parking assistance, adaptive cruise control and all of the clever off-road modes.

Although the low volume G-Class doesn’t feature in the top 75 cars to own in the 2023 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey, Mercedes overall doesn’t fare too well, coming 25th out of 32. You get a three-year, unlimited mileage warranty as standard, and a separate battery warranty of up to 10 years and 155,000 miles, depending on model, which covers you from any manufacturing defects or the battery capacity dropping below 70%.