From gas-guzzlers to zero emissions, Mercedes-Benz to build an electric G-Class

MANILA: Mercedes-Benz Head of Digital Transformation at Daimler, AG Sascha Pallenberg, just tweeted that Daimler CEO Ola Källenius confirmed that the company will release an electric version of the Mercedes-Benz G- Class. "We will electrify the G- Class and significantly improve the CO2 balance of the powertrain when there is a model upgrading," Kallenius said.

Two years ago, Mercedes announced a plan to have an electric version for all the models in its portfolio by 2022 and plans to add up to 10 electric cars to its line up by 2025. A year ago, the German automobile company unveiled its first electric SUV named EQC. And now, the Head of Digital Transformation of Mercedes-Benz just tweeted that the company is in the works of building a zero-emission G- Class.

No other details pertaining to a launch date or any other information about the drivetrain has been disclosed as of this writing. But the public announcement could suggest that the company has already given the green light for its development or could also mean that production is already underway, likely in early stages—may be on the R&D phase perhaps?

The Mercedes G- Class isn’t exactly the most fuel-efficient SUV out there. In fact, both the G500 and the G63 can only go as far as 22.5 km per one gallon of fuel. Pallenberg even revealed on his tweet that “in the past, there were discussions whether we should eliminate the model.”

The iconic G- Class with its signature boxy exterior and rugged look has seen very little changed in terms of design since it was first introduced in 1979. The latest model of the G- Class which was introduced at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show was bigger, lighter, and more luxurious than its predecessor.

And since the G-Class is already in the upper echelon of Mercedes-Benz portfolio, expect the electrified SUV derivative to carry an even higher price tag and will likely be sold under the “EQ” banner following the path taken by the EQC crossover and other zero-emissions vehicles that the company is preparing for the next decade.

When the opportune moment comes for the unveiling, we’ll see exactly what the future of luxury off-road vechicle looks like.

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