VIDEO: All-new Mercedes-Benz G-Class G580 an electrifying ride

Let’s not beat around the bush. The Mercedes-Benz G-Class, G-Wagon or Geländewagen – call it what you want – is probably the most iconic and instantly recognisable SUV in the world.

The G-Class appeals to gangsters as much as it does serious off-roaders. From the monstrous AMG G63 to the frugal G450d, there is a Mercedes-Benz G-Class for you. But the big news is the unveiling of the new G580 full-electric G-Class. And it’s ridiculously good both on and off-road.

Mercedes-Benz G-Class with a twist

Seriously, before you start to roll your eyes and tell me how an electric vehicle can never be better than a high-performance internal combustion-engined vehicle, allow me to share with you what I experienced with the G580 this week.

ALSO READ: Range complete as Mercedes-Benz prices diesel facelift G-Class

Anybody who has ever read my stuff will know that I have no interest in doing hardcore off-roading. I simply have no interest in scratching and scraping my 4×4 up some path that a mountain goat wouldn’t use. And when Clint Weston, head of the AMG Driving Experience Centre at Zwartkops, began singing the virtues of the G580 and how easy it makes off-roading, I was the one rolling my eyes.

This G580 offers a total of 432kW of power and 1 164Nm of torque. This is courtesy of a 116-kWh battery that sends power to an electric motor at each wheel. And while this translates into an SUV that is stupid fast on tar, it also means that you can literally ride up past that same mountain goat without any fuss. The vehicle’s clever electronic stability control programs ensure that the right amount of power and torque are always precisely delivered to the wheel that needs it most.

Scaling new heights

Besides the expected Comfort, Sport, and Individual modes for on-road, you get Trail and Rock modes for the dusty stuff. Think of Trail as 4-High in a normal 4×4, and Rock as 4-Low, go-anywhere mode, just like you would in an old Toyota Land Cruiser. Except in Mercedes-Benz speak, all of this is done electronically via what you would call virtual differential locks. Don’t get hung up on the details. Just know it works without any mechanical clunking or clonking or actual diffs.

The battery is located on the floor of the electric Mercedes-Benz G-Class. It is covered by a protective plate that can support something like three times the weight of the G580. I don’t think you are going to find a rock in any normal or extreme off-road condition that will break through to the battery and make the vehicle explode like a Tesla Cybertruck in Las Vegas. And before you ask, you can almost drown the G 580 G Class. I tried, without getting shocked or stuck.

ALSO READ: ‘Baby’ G-Class still coming as Mercedes-Benz scraps EV-only plans

Clever systems save the day

I don’t have the space to tell you the long version of the story. But I was on the verge of earning the title of being the “First Person on Earth to Get a G-Class Stuck”. I drove into a water pit without considering how deep it was or how much mud was hiding there.

But with some expert AMG Driving Experience driving instructor guidance from none other than the other fast Weston in the form of sister Natalie, and the clever electronics onboard the electric Mercedes-Benz G-Class, I was able to get out of the pit of hell without having to radio for a Toyota Land Cruiser and a rope. This speaks volumes about the capabilities of the G580 in the hands of a 4×4 dummy.

We will obviously be taking a G580 to Gerotek to burn rubber, play with G-Turn, and give it a proper run against the clock to see if it can give the original King of the Strip AMG G63 a proper run for its money.

Mercedes-AMG G63

The G63 is still powered by AMG’s 4.0-litre V8 biturbo engine and delivers 430kW of power and 850Nm. Thanks to the addition of 48-volt mild hybrid technology, an extra 15kW/200Nm is available for short bursts of time. For the first time, the G63 also offers an AMG Active Ride Control suspension. This improves its on-road manners when being driven closer to the limit, as would be expected with an AMG vehicle.

Mercedes-Benz G-Class pricing

• G580 with EQ Technology – R3 823 457
• G580 with EQ Technology Edition One – R4 647 456
• G63 AMG – R4 415 916

*Pricing includes five-year/100 000km PremiumDrive Comfort Care Service and Maintenance Plan.