Mercedes had high hopes for the electric G-Class. The company believed that the strengths of the iconic off-roader would compensate for the weaknesses of electrification. However, according to Handelsblatt, Mercedes executives admitted that the electric G-Class was a commercial failure. A top manager, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "The car is sitting like lead in the dealer centers. It's a total flop." Another manager commented, according to the well-known medium: "It's a niche model. The sales figures are very low."
Handelsblatt examined the statistics and found that by the end of April, nearly a year after its market launch, only 1450 units of the electric G-Class had been sold. By comparison, the sales figures of the regular G-Class with petrol and diesel engines were about 9700 units, almost seven times more than the electric counterpart.
Despite the disappointing figures, a representative from Mercedes stated that the sales figures of the brand meet the targets. Another representative from Mercedes was more honest and conceded: "People want a real G-Class - with six or eight cylinders."
In Germany, the EQ G 580 costs about 135,000 euros, which is only slightly more expensive than the petrol G 500. The payload of the electric version is only 415 kg, and it does not support the attachment of a towing hitch, making it significantly less practical than the model with an internal combustion engine. The latter has enjoyed a reputation for decades as an all-purpose off-roader. Moreover, the EQ G 580 weighs 3 tons and has a range of up to 473 kilometers with a WLTP charge.
Handelsblatt reported that the weak demand for the electric G-Class has prompted Mercedes management to reconsider plans for a so-called "small G-Class" project. A smaller version of the off-roader is expected around 2027. It was planned to be a purely electric model, but now there are rumors that the smaller G will also receive combustion engines in addition to electric motors. The company is currently reviewing the technical and financial feasibility of expanding the number of variations of the upcoming model.