An article from the German business newspaper Handelsblatt paints a bleak picture of the market reaction to the Mercedes EQ G 580. The sales figures of the electric SUV are almost seven times lower than those of the petrol and diesel models.

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.

Евгений Ушаков
Evgenii Ushakov
16 years driving