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1:01

Welcome back to a special edition of even used

1:03

a lot More recently the podcast has been getting

1:06

a little bit longer be so much exciting even

1:08

use and then whenever we get a new car

1:10

to talk about with lots of information I feel

1:12

that it can make the podcast perhaps too long

1:14

so will try something new that if you like

1:17

the I did let me know what if we

1:19

get a new car release which has enough information

1:21

to make it basically it's own podcast and as

1:23

long as I have the time to watch all

1:26

of a Uti reviews we don't have a car

1:28

magazines and then I can write something bespoke. And

1:30

drop it into the feet and then you

1:33

can choose whether you're interested in finding out

1:35

more about it. Now I don't overload you,

1:37

but also, I don't start making forty five

1:39

minute daily news episodes because I appreciate your

1:41

time. So let's get into it. The.

1:44

Iconic Mercedes Benz G Class,

1:46

known for it's rugged design

1:48

and unparalleled off road capabilities, has

1:50

finally entered the world of

1:52

the these with today the

1:54

introduction the official introduction of

1:56

the Mercedes Benz G Five

1:58

eighty with each. technology and we'll

2:01

get on to its naming in a

2:03

bit. It's a highly anticipated model marking

2:05

a big shift in the G-Class lineup

2:07

combining the timeless appeal of the G-Wagom

2:09

with the latest in EV powertrain technology.

2:11

Well the one thing they've not done

2:14

is mess with the design. At first glance the

2:16

G 580 with EQ technology

2:18

maintains the classic boxy silhouette that

2:20

has defined the G-Class for over

2:23

four decades. The angular military

2:25

inspired exterior remains largely unchanged

2:27

and ensures the electric variant

2:30

is instantly recognizable as

2:32

a G-Wagon. However upon closer inspection

2:35

there are some several subtle design

2:37

elements that set the G 580

2:39

apart from its combustion powered counterparts.

2:42

Now the most notable change is

2:45

the black panel grill, optional I

2:47

must add, which replaces the traditional

2:49

four-bar grill found on the standard

2:51

vehicle. The sleek minimalist front

2:53

fascia features a pair of horizontal inlets

2:55

on each side of the Mercedes-Benz logo

2:57

which is illuminated in the surround and

3:00

the black trim extends around the headlights.

3:02

The bonnet, the hood also

3:05

has been raised slightly to accommodate

3:07

the electric powertrain and there

3:10

are some air curtain openings that have been added to

3:12

the rear wheel arches and that

3:14

is all about as you may know

3:16

improving aerodynamics. Now the other exterior enhancements

3:18

include some aero focused wheel designs very

3:20

common on EVs and

3:22

an optional rectangular design

3:24

box that replaces the spare tire

3:26

carrier on the rear door. It's

3:29

a storage compartment which can be

3:31

finished in a dual tone color

3:33

scheme to blend seamlessly with the

3:35

rear window designed to hold the

3:37

vehicle's charging cables and other essential

3:39

items. What a smart idea! Now

3:42

let's get into the electric powertrain and

3:44

performance. Underneath that familiar

3:46

exterior the G 580 EV boasts

3:48

a cutting-edge EV powertrain. They're not

3:50

only rivals but as

3:53

we say time and time again

3:55

on this podcast surpasses

3:57

its combustion-powered

4:00

sibling. The vehicle is equipped with four

4:02

motors, four individually controlled

4:04

electric motors, obviously one

4:06

at each wheel, collectively producing

4:08

579 horsepower

4:12

and 859 pound-feet

4:15

of torque. The quad-motor setup allows

4:17

for the most precise

4:19

torque distribution, enhancing both on-road

4:21

and off-road performance. Each

4:24

electric motor is paired with its

4:26

own two-speed transmission, enabling a low-range

4:28

gear reduction for improved off-road capability.

4:30

The motors are integrated into the

4:32

G580's ladder frame chassis with two

4:34

motors housed each axle, the configuration

4:37

allowing for the rear motors to

4:39

be bolted directly to the chassis.

4:41

The front motors get connected to

4:43

the wheels via these kind of

4:45

short half shafts. Well the G580

4:47

EV's performance figures are

4:49

incredibly impressive. Mercedes are not messing with

4:52

this. Nor to 60 miles

4:54

an hour, that's just under 100 kph

4:56

is 4.6 seconds.

4:59

Now the electric G-Wagon is

5:01

just 0.4 seconds slower

5:05

than the fire-breathing

5:07

almighty AMG

5:10

GC63 because

5:12

there's an additional weight there with the

5:14

EV. Top speed is electronically

5:17

limited, just 112 miles an hour,

5:19

but like Volvo are doing as well

5:21

because in so many countries around

5:23

the world, why would you want

5:25

to go faster than 112 miles an hour? And

5:27

I get the idea about Germany and Autobahn and

5:29

stuff like that, but seriously that's... I don't

5:32

get the whole top speed fascination. Maybe it's

5:34

just me. Now

5:37

let's talk about charging technology and specs. Powering the G580

5:39

is a massive 116 kilowatt

5:44

hour battery pack integrated into the

5:46

ladder frame chassis. Obviously

5:48

they've worked on optimal weight distribution and

5:50

protection given that this vehicle may be

5:53

taken off-road or may only ever be

5:55

doing the school run with some very

5:57

well-heeled parents. The two-tiered battery... how

6:00

they've done it because it's not the biggest footprint of a

6:02

vehicle but it's 116 kilowatt hours

6:05

so it's a double-decker. It's a

6:07

two-tiered battery with 216 cells

6:10

arranged in 12 modules

6:12

sandwiched between three cooling

6:14

levels. Now to

6:16

safeguard the battery from any damage they've

6:18

encased it in a torsion resistant housing

6:21

and shield it with a one inch

6:23

thick underbody panel which all they'll say

6:25

is an advanced lightweight composite material but

6:28

by the sounds of it some space-age

6:30

technology in there to ensure

6:32

that if you are taking this thing into

6:34

some hardcore areas you don't end up damaging

6:36

your battery pack. Now Mercedes-Benz

6:39

estimates the G580 will have a range

6:41

of approximately 250 miles

6:43

that is if it were

6:46

to be applied to the US's

6:48

EPA test cycle with the more

6:50

optimistic European WLTP cycle perhaps 294

6:54

they say. While it's not

6:56

the longest range EV out there considering

6:59

the size of the battery pack I

7:02

think you'd agree that it's more than adequate for

7:04

most users we had this with the Rolls-Royce didn't

7:06

we when people were looking at the range of

7:08

the Rolls-Royce factor going like well how is this

7:10

not this is the one of the most

7:13

expensive EVs you can buy it should be the EV that goes

7:15

the furthest and Rolls-Royce said we know our owners

7:17

they're probably just I don't know on

7:19

the French Riviera being fabulous

7:21

they don't need the biggest battery hey

7:23

trust me Mercedes-Benz know G

7:26

Wagon buyers and if they think 300 miles

7:28

is enough then that's enough

7:30

but yeah it won't be the most efficient vehicle

7:32

in terms of AC charging I would think this

7:34

would have 22 kilowatts but all

7:36

I could find in the press release was an

7:38

onboard charger of 11 kilowatts AC

7:40

power now it will

7:42

DC fast charge up to 200 kilowatts which

7:44

is not surprising given the other tech in

7:47

their locker with other Mercedes-Benz

7:49

vehicles that are out there they've given a

7:51

10 to 80% thank you Mercedes-Benz thank you

7:53

we want a

7:55

10 to 80 we always want to not because we're always

7:57

charging 10 to 80 but because

7:59

if all car manufacturers use that, it means

8:01

that we can compare them. So a 10-80

8:04

of 32 minutes, which

8:08

is more than acceptable, more than

8:10

respectable. Let's talk about

8:12

the interior. Inside the G580 EV,

8:15

the updates are a little more evident than

8:17

on the exterior. So there's

8:19

the same updates that were recently

8:21

introduced on the G550 and the

8:23

AMG version I mentioned, the G63.

8:26

The most significant change is the

8:28

addition of two 12.3-inch

8:30

displays. One is the digital instrument cluster,

8:32

the other is the central infotainment screen.

8:34

It marks the first time the G

8:36

has featured a touchscreen interface, bringing it

8:39

in line with the rest of the

8:41

Mercedes Benz lineup. Now the infotainment system

8:43

runs on the latest MBUX, Mercedes Benz

8:45

software. So you get

8:47

all the goodies like the augmented reality

8:49

nav, the voice assistant that works really

8:52

well, all the

8:54

wireless carplay and wireless Android

8:56

Auto goodness. And other notable

8:58

upgrades include the premium Bermeister

9:00

3D surround system they say.

9:02

There's an ambient color package

9:04

that will do 64 colors,

9:07

even an optional rear

9:09

seat entertainment package with

9:12

dual 11.6-inch touchscreens for

9:14

your rear passengers or if you just really, really

9:16

like your children. One

9:18

of the most intriguing interior features is

9:21

a sound system which they've

9:23

called G-RAW. Now I

9:25

think we should reserve judgement on this until

9:27

we try it. And I,

9:29

you know, it's a bit like the

9:31

simulated gear changes in the Arctic 5N

9:33

where you pull the flappy paddle and

9:35

it cuts the power for a little

9:37

bit and it seems like you're going

9:39

through a gearbox because they've tried to

9:41

be analogous to combustion. Bear

9:44

with me. G-RAW is designed

9:46

to replicate the characteristic engine notes

9:48

and exhaust rumble of the

9:50

gas-powered G-Class. Now one of my neighbors, not

9:52

an immediate neighbor, I would say seven or

9:55

eight houses away

9:57

is a young guy, I would design a

9:59

piece. has got a

10:02

G-Class and I must admit you can hear

10:04

it coming and it's not the worst noise

10:06

in the world. Now yes I'm Mr. EV

10:09

but still I can I have an

10:11

appreciation for engineering and it does sound

10:13

cool it wouldn't be for me but

10:15

you can hear it coming. A customizable

10:17

audio experience called G-RAW which adapts to

10:19

the selected drive mode with a more

10:21

subdued tone in comfort and a more

10:23

aggressive emotionally charged tone in sport mode.

10:25

The system provides acoustic feedback for various

10:27

events like locking and unlocking the

10:29

doors when you start and stop either

10:32

you know engage the gear or neutral and

10:34

even when you start the charging as well.

10:36

So I have to see what that sounds

10:38

like. Now let's talk about going off-road because

10:40

here's a vehicle that can do it, probably

10:43

won't and some people will. Despite

10:46

its electric powertrain it is a

10:48

true G-Class they say with not

10:50

messed with the formula an off-road

10:52

performance that they say surpasses any

10:54

combustion G that they've ever made.

10:56

4 motor setup allows

10:59

for the most precise

11:01

torque distribution to each

11:03

wheel eliminating the need for traditional

11:06

locking diff like a locking differential. If

11:08

you can control each motor with

11:11

the right amount of torque and braking perfectly

11:13

they say this is

11:16

the ultimate solution. It employs advanced torque

11:18

vectoring to create virtual differential locks automatically

11:20

directing power to the wheels with the

11:22

most traction. Now the G 580 EV

11:25

has an impressive array of

11:27

off-road focused features there

11:30

is a 2 to 1 low range

11:32

gear reduction which can be

11:34

engaged when you put the dedicated rock

11:36

mode or rock drive mode. It's a

11:38

low range setting combined with the instant

11:40

torque delivery of electric motors which enables

11:43

the vehicle to tackle even the most

11:45

challenging of terrains they say

11:47

with ease. An off-road

11:50

crawl function akin to cruise control for

11:52

load speed maneuvers allows

11:54

the driver to focus on steering while

11:56

the system maintains a steady pace over

11:59

rough surfaces. Ground clearance. Well that does

12:01

obviously fine with this vehicle but some

12:03

EVs have to sit a

12:05

little bit lower because of the battery pack

12:08

and therefore the driver would be sitting extremely

12:10

high but they say

12:12

with 9.8 inches of clearance between

12:16

the axles and 0.3 inches more

12:18

than the G550 the electric

12:21

G-Wagon can ford water up

12:23

to 33.5 inches deep

12:25

that's 6 inches more than the combustion

12:28

version while it's approaching departure angles of

12:30

32 degrees approach and 31

12:33

degrees departure angle of

12:35

even better than the combustion

12:37

versions. Now the only trade-off

12:40

they say is a slightly lower breakover angle of

12:43

20.3 degrees because of how the

12:45

battery pack is positioned but if you want to

12:47

buy this vehicle and you do know that you're

12:49

going to be doing some rock crawling or having

12:51

some fun with this and many of these will

12:53

never get dirty I'm not kidding myself

12:57

this can do it. Two stand-out off-road

12:59

features unique to the EV version of

13:01

the G-Wagon let's get

13:03

to it is G-turn and

13:05

G steering. Now

13:07

G-turn maybe you've seen this already in

13:09

some of the preview YouTube videos maybe

13:11

a year ago when they were letting

13:13

some influencers drive the or at least

13:15

have ride-alongs in those

13:17

vehicles. G-turn when

13:20

you engage rock mode and low range motors

13:23

engaged allows the vehicle to spin on the

13:25

spot a full 360 degree rotation

13:27

by spinning the wheels on the left and

13:29

right side in opposite directions. Now some

13:32

call it a tank turn it's a

13:35

first for any production vehicle in

13:37

the US market and you

13:39

may recall if your memory is good that

13:41

Rivian said that their vehicles would come with

13:43

it. Now they didn't ship this

13:45

feature they said because you know you can't

13:47

do it on hard tarmac for a start

13:49

you need to do it on a loose

13:52

surface on snow on ice

13:54

on gravel. Rivian said

13:56

they decided not to do the feature because it's

14:00

not good for the environment. If you are turning

14:02

your vehicle on the spot, it's chewing up

14:04

the ground, and that's not environmentally friendly. And

14:07

Rivian is an environmentally friendly company. They'll have

14:09

you know. Uh, yeah, I agree. I

14:11

agree with that. It's a good reason. I

14:14

have a nagging doubt, and you can call me

14:16

a cynical old geek if you want to, that

14:19

it's fabulously hard to do, and you've got

14:21

to do it on certain surfaces, and it's

14:23

not easy to get right. And I suspect

14:25

in all of the

14:27

things that Rivian had to get right to ship the R1T, the

14:29

R1S, it was just not a

14:32

priority, and I don't think I should be blamed for

14:34

that. We've had lots of car companies promise stuff

14:36

and not ship it, so just to get, to

14:38

build the hype and to get excited. But Mercedes

14:40

done it with a G-Wagon, and they're really proud

14:43

of it. So that is G-Turn. Now, G-Steering, on

14:46

the other hand, enhances maneuverability

14:48

using the targeted torque distribution

14:50

to pivot the vehicle around

14:52

its inside rear wheel, which

14:54

reduces the turning radius. So,

14:57

it can do that rear wheel steering in

15:00

order to make the off-road, even

15:02

on-road capability, if you are doing

15:04

a tight maneuver, even better.

15:07

Now, we'll take a quick break

15:09

when we come back, and thank you for bearing with

15:11

us on this special edition. Hey, let me know what

15:13

you think of it, by the way, about doing a

15:15

solus, like a solus podcast about a certain car. We'll

15:17

take a short break. Hit that skip forward button if

15:19

you want to on your podcast app. I don't mind.

15:21

I'll be back in a moment. Now,

15:51

let's talk about where it sits in the market and its competitors. The

15:58

Mercedes-Benz G580. enters

16:00

the market at a time when

16:02

high-end electric SUVs are gaining popularity,

16:05

as competitors like the Rivian R1S,

16:07

the GMC Hummer EV, and of

16:10

course the Tesla Cybertruck, all

16:12

vying for attention. There's

16:14

no doubt that this vehicle today

16:17

is getting its share of attention,

16:19

but the G580 EV, say to

16:21

Mercedes, distinguishes itself through a unique

16:23

blend of being an iconic design.

16:25

They've not tried to rewrite

16:28

the design playbook on

16:30

this. It has unrivalled off-road

16:32

capabilities, and yeah, I've seen

16:34

plenty of social media posts of Cybertruck

16:36

owners, Tesla fans taking their cars down,

16:38

frankly a dirt track that a Prius

16:40

could get down and saying, whoa this

16:42

car rocks Elon was right, we could

16:44

take it to Mars. Mercedes

16:47

respectfully says this one is a

16:49

true off-roader, but

16:51

hey, if you want this to be a very luxurious

16:53

car, if you want this to have all the fine

16:56

dining, you know, accoutrements on the

16:59

inside, so you feel like a million dollars

17:01

driving it, of course you can spec it

17:03

that way. Other G580

17:05

EVs expected starting price of

17:08

160,000 US dollars, probably seems steep

17:10

if you're not used to the G-Wagon, it is

17:12

only a modest increase over the combustion car. Yeah,

17:14

that starts at 144 grand, by the way. The

17:18

pricing strategy positions the electric G-Wagon as

17:20

a compelling alternative for buyers who value

17:22

the G-Class, the timeless appeal, the design

17:25

and who want to embrace electrification without

17:28

compromising on performance or prestige. For the model

17:30

year 2025, G580 is coming in the Edition

17:32

1 launch trim featuring

17:36

a range of unique colour options, the

17:39

AMG line and night package exterior enhancements

17:41

and a host of premium interior appointments.

17:43

The Limited Edition 1 model

17:46

will certainly have a lot

17:48

of interest from long-time G

17:50

class enthusiasts, drivers, collectors,

17:53

maybe even further cementing

17:55

its status in this little

17:58

niche that it sits. Let's

18:00

conclude. What do we think of

18:02

this vehicle? Well, it does represent

18:05

a Remarkable evolution of a

18:07

vehicle that's been around a long time a

18:09

classic an iconic G

18:11

class shape they haven't tried to start

18:14

all over again And for that I

18:16

applaud Mercedes-Benz long time listen to the

18:19

podcast know that I have the last

18:21

couple of years had

18:23

a bit of a bee in my bonnet of Carmakers

18:26

that want to start all over again like

18:28

did VW need the ID 3 or should

18:30

they have made a really good? Second

18:33

generation Eagles and stuck with

18:35

those names which they

18:38

had spent decades cultivating The

18:41

Gulf the polo the Passat those names

18:43

really broken Have you got to get rid

18:45

of them and do ID 3 ID

18:47

2 ID 7 etc. Well, Mercedes-Benz Clearly

18:50

feel the same because they're redesigning their EQ s To

18:54

put a fake grill back on to look

18:56

like an s-class doesn't need it But

18:58

they're putting a fake illuminated grill and the

19:00

stand the uppy physical metal Mercedes emblem back

19:03

on to their electric cars It might not

19:05

be the best aero decision they've made But

19:08

I think it's what s class spires probably

19:10

want and these buyers of this vehicle Want

19:13

it to look like this it

19:15

blends that rich heritage but with

19:18

cutting-edge powertrain Technology by retaining the

19:20

design and the exceptional off-road capabilities

19:22

while bringing in those features I

19:25

think Mercedes-Benz has made an electric

19:27

SUV that in the same sentence

19:29

is entirely familiar

19:32

and completely groundbreaking With

19:34

its quad motor setup advanced charging

19:36

technology very luxurious interior. I think it'll

19:39

appeal to G G class buyers by

19:41

the way Off-road

19:43

enthusiasts you got a luxury

19:45

vehicle this would do it adds to the market.

19:48

It's not it's not reductive It doesn't take sales

19:50

away from something else. I think this just adds

19:52

to the EV market and that's another reason I

19:54

love Vehicles like this it

19:56

took a while for the EV market to

19:58

mature and heck we we've done over 2000 episodes

20:01

of this podcast and I know it. We're

20:03

taking a long time to get here. But

20:05

vehicles like this, which won't be the biggest

20:07

seller, I'm so delighted are going

20:10

EV and being better than

20:12

their combustion vehicles. While the range

20:14

may not be class leading, I

20:16

get that, it's off-road prowess, it's

20:18

advanced technology and it's iconic status

20:20

I think compensate for all of

20:22

that. And the first electric

20:24

G-Class, the G580 EV with EQ technology

20:28

sets a standard. This is the standard that if you

20:30

want to make a competing vehicle, this

20:32

is what you can aim for. Now you might not

20:34

be selling it for 200 grand, but I think that's

20:36

a great thing to add to the

20:39

market. It's a remarkable achievement. What our Mercedes-Benz have

20:41

been on its coming for a very long time.

20:44

You've kept that enduring legacy of the

20:46

vehicle and added the best that you

20:48

had to add with EV technology. Impressive,

20:50

very impressive, very luxurious and I can't

20:53

wait to see how this vehicle might

20:55

even redefine how Mercedes

20:58

goes electric in the

21:00

electric SUV segment. And I think

21:03

almost certainly cement its place

21:05

as an instant classic in

21:07

automotive history. Thank you very much for

21:09

listening to the podcast today. Thank you

21:12

to everyone who's a Patreon supporter as well, by

21:14

the way, because you got this episode

21:16

first before the free version. And of course you

21:18

get it ad free. And if you'd like to

21:20

be one of the Patreon legends list, please

21:23

do feel free to drop by patreon.com/EV news

21:25

daily. Thanks for listening. I'll see you on

21:27

the next one. Oh, and remember, there's no

21:29

such thing as a self charging

21:31

hybrid.