Mercedes-Benz Announces Zero-Emission G-Class SUV

If you’re a Mercedes fan, you might be intrigued to hear that a zero-emission version of the G-Class, the Geländewagen, will be made. Sascha Pallenberg, the Head of Digital Transformation at Daimler AG, shared about the SUV on Twitter.

#Daimler CEO Källenius: ”There will be a zero-emission #EV version of the #MercedesBenz G-Class. In the past there were discussions whether we should eliminate the model, the way I see things now I'd say the last Mercedes to be built will be a G-Class" #AMWKongress #eMobility pic.twitter.com/tAS6tzpR3Y

— Sascha (潘賞世) Pallenberg (@sascha_p) November 7, 2019

More precisely, he quoted Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, Ola Källenius.

Zero-emission most likely means battery electric. In an email comment he made for CleanTechnica, Daimler SUV Communications Manager Christian Anosowitsch wrote, “In Detroit 2018, Dr. Zetsche confirmed that all models at Mercedes-Benz are electrified in the future.”

The G-Class dates back several decades, and is one of the oldest Mercedes vehicles in production. Originally, it was designed as sort of a military-style jeep, intended to be able to navigate very difficult terrain and be quite durable. In fact, in 2005 the US Marine Corp ordered 157 of them to be used as desert patrol vehicles.

Image credit: Mercedes

Over the years, somehow the G-class, or G-wagon, became popular with American celebrities like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Floyd Mayweather, and Khloe Kardashian. Rappers like Travis Scott and Young Jeezy reportedly have them too.

Perhaps because it carries the Mercedes cachet and is a rugged, boxy, tall SUV, the G-Class appeals to the wealthy. It also isn’t produced in such large quantities like say, a Ford Expedition.

If there’s a very expensive SUV that says, “I’m a badass,” it’s probably the G-Class.

How much is a new one? The G 550 is $124,500 and the AMG 63 G is $147,500. (The rapper Drake supposedly paid about $600,000 for his Mercedes-Maybach G 650 Landaulet, a customized, highly luxurious edition.)

The G-class’s fuel efficiency is what you might expect for a heavy, luxury SUV: about 13 – 17 mpg.

SUVs are quite popular in many parts of the world, as are pickup trucks, but they also consume vast quantities of gasoline. Electrifying them is quite obviously a better choice for making transportation more sustainable. In particular, making an all-electric G-Class is a big deal because the G-Class brand is very well-established and has many fans.

It will be very interesting to see how rappers react to an all-electric G-Class and if they include them in their music videos, like they have with the gas-powered versions. If they do, they might wind up inadvertently promoting electric vehicles.