2024 Mercedes-Benz EQG EV spied inside and out
The rugged-looking, all-electric Mercedes-Benz EQG has been spied once again in the snow ahead of its expected reveal in 2024.
Our spy photographers were able to capture some interior images of this particular EQG prototype as the cover was left down while it was parked.
Compared to the current, internal-combustion-powered G-Class, this spied EQG prototype doesn’t have the analogue clock near the front cupholders, has a revised climate control unit, new console controller, and new steering wheel with touch-sensitive buttons.
A lot of these features seem to come from the updated A-Class, and it’s likely they will carry over to the facelifted G-Class that was spied early last year.
If you look really hard you can see the buttons in between the central air vents that toggle the low range, tank turn, and off-road turn assist functions. These buttons are for the locking differentials in the regular G-Class.
On the outside this spied EQG prototype looks very similar to a number of previously-spied examples with its closed-off grille and blue-and-black camouflage.
This spied EQG has a typical spare tyre mounted on the tailgate instead of the outlandish square spare wheel cover that featured on the Concept EQG from 2021.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen an EQG testing, as Mercedes-Benz gave us a ride-along in a prototype model late last year.
The EQG features an electric motor for each wheel with low range courtesy of a reduction gear system on the output shaft of each motor. No power or torque figures have been announced yet.
It won’t be based on Mercedes-Benz’s new dedicated Electric Vehicle Architecture (EVA) and will instead use a version of the G-Class’s traditional body-on-frame underpinnings, with multi-link independent front suspension and a live axle at the rear. It rides on steel springs with adaptive dampers.
Mercedes-Benz also announced last year it’s working on silicon-based battery technology to be manufactured by US startup Sila Nanotechnologies from 2025. It will be optional in the EQG.
The company’s high-silicon anode material is claimed to have a 20 to 40 per cent increase in energy density compared to commercially available battery cells with a comparable format.
The production version of the Mercedes-Benz EQG will be built alongside the combustion G-Class at partner Magna Steyr’s plant in Graz, Austria.
While the EQG is still at least 12 months away, a boxy, quad-motor electric SUV will soon reach production.
The U8 from BYD’s newly-revealed Yangwang brand will produce around 820kW of power, and features similarly bluff and boxy styling to the G-Class and Land Rover Defender. It even has the tailgate-mounted spare wheel.
Rivian is also introducing a quad-motor version of its R1S SUV this year with 622kW of power and 1231Nm of torque. It’ll be good for a 0-60mph (0-96km/h) time of “as quick as 3 seconds” according to the company.
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MORE: 2024 Mercedes-Benz EQG spiedMORE: 2025 Mercedes-Benz EQG review: Prototype ride-along