Electric vehicles are having a tough time currently, but what should the verdict be when contemporary battery and motor technology improves an old-school SUV in nearly every way? That’s what an EV powertrain potentially does to the Mercedes G-class…
 
On the road the new G580 (née EQG) is quieter, quicker – thanks to 858lb ft – and produces zero tailpipe emissions. And off-road, its quad e-motor set-up means it can use anything down to just one wheel to crawl its way out of trouble. It can wade deeper than a G63, too, while ‘G-Steering’ means it can do super-tight turns, and ‘G-Turn’ sees it pivot on the spot, just like a tank.
 
Then again, the G580 weighs over three tonnes and can’t tow a thing given it’s already so heavy.
 
So, is the electrified Geländewagen the future, or an archaic SUV made even more obscure and obsolete? Top Gear’s Tom Ford has been to find out…

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Chapters:
00:00 Road Drive & Stats
02:51 1982/83 G-Wagen Drive
04:34 The Stats
05:52 Driving Modes
07:05 Off-road Drive
09:24 G-Turn
11:32 Conclusion

MORE ABOUT TOP GEAR:
Welcome to the official home of Top Gear on YouTube. Here you'll find all the best clips from your favourite episodes, whether that’s Ken Block drifting London in the Hoonicorn, Chris Harris in the latest Porsche 911 GT3 or classic Top Gear clips from Clarkson, Hammond and May. You'll also find the latest performance car reviews from the TopGear.com crew, our brand new series American Tuned with Rob Dahm and the fastest power laps from our in house performance benchmark: The Stig.

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