The famous Mercedes G class has been on the market since 1979. In the meantime, it remained one of the few SUVs with a chassis, but also with front, rear and central differential locks. There are fewer and fewer competitors, considering that most of them have a self-supporting body, which definitely cannot cope with the most difficult terrains without consequences.
The second generation of the G-Class appeared in 2018. It is interesting that the designation of the project W463 was retained at that time. Now we have the redesigned G class of the second generation, which received a completely new designation W465. And not only that; after the prototypes and concept examples shown at the fairs, the serial version of the G class with electricity was presented!
There are other details that make the G class first. This is the first electric “Mercedes” without an “EQ” label, which suggests to us that the Stuttgart company is slowly abandoning the strategy of constructing completely different models with electric drive compared to the equivalents with SUS engines.
A detailed presentation of the new G-class, primarily the electric version bearing the designation G 580, was arranged for domestic journalists. It also has a classic chassis, but also four electric motors, one for each wheel. They are not located directly on the wheel hub in order not to increase the unsprung mass, but are connected to the half-spoke wheels. Each of them has 108 kilowatts, so the total power is 432 kW (588 hp). What is even more important, in the case of reduction, the final transmission increases twice, so the maximum torque is then as much as 1,164 newton-meters!
While versions with SUS engines have front, rear and central differential locks, the electric ones are virtual. In other words, each wheel is controlled independently, and even unique functions such as G-Turn and G-Steering are designed. They allow the car to turn literally in place, like a tank, so maneuvering in tight spaces is facilitated. The only thing that is important is that the surface is loose so that the tires do not wear out quickly and unevenly.
Like the G class with SUS engines, the driver has at his disposal a system of cameras that render a view of the “transparent” hood, with the aim of safer passage over terrain where visibility from the front of the vehicle is difficult. Otherwise, 12.3-inch driver and multimedia displays are standard.
The battery with a capacity of 116 kWh ensured that the autonomy according to the WLTP cycle was 473 kilometers. It is sealed, so the G 580 can pass through water as deep as 850 mm, unlike the conventional G class, which can overcome water 700 mm deep. Another difference is that a rigid axle is used in the rear, as on Professional models, while the front has an independent suspension.
The price of the electric G class in Serbia is 155,220 euros, while variants with SUS engines start at 130,680. That’s how much the G 450d with a three-liter six-cylinder diesel engine of 367 horses costs. The gasoline engine marked G 500 is also an in-line six with 3.0 liters of working volume and it is necessary to allocate 140,700 euros for it. The top model is the Mercedes-AMG G 63. It is powered by a 4.0-liter V8 engine with 585 horsepower. It reaches a hundred in just 4.4 seconds, while the electric G 580 needs only three tenths more for the same task.
Source: www.magazinauto.com
