Creator of Mercedes G-Class predicts electric versions will have longevity comparable to traditional models.
German vehicles are not particularly famous for their dependability. Elaborate designs, costly components, and high maintenance expenses typically result in them having a shorter lifespan compared to Toyota or Honda models. However, the Mercedes-Benz G-Class stands out from this pattern, as the majority of those manufactured since its debut in 1979 are still being used on roads today.
Speaking about the anticipated performance of the upcoming electric G-Class, Michael Schiebe, CEO of AMG and leader of the G-Class and Maybach divisions, predicts that it will match the longevity of its gasoline counterpart.
During a roundtable interview in France, Schiebe informed a group of journalists that “80 percent of the G-Classes that were ever produced are still in the market.” He also mentioned that “The cars have a very long lifetime.”
“So here you can calculate that while maybe a G-Class needs a little bit more material than your average compact car, the durability, if you see the lifetime of a G-Wagen from 1979, I think you will have had to have driven many, many compact cars, in some cases, to keep up the lifetime of a G-Wagen.”
In 2023, Mercedes manufactured the 500,000th G-Class, indicating that there are currently more than 400,000 still in use today, as per the company’s statement. Porsche, on the other hand, claims that approximately 70 percent of the 911s ever produced are still operational.
Without disclosing specific market share expectations for the electric G580 with EQ Technology, Schiebe expressed optimism that both dealers and customers will be pleased with the vehicle’s performance in the lineup.
“We try to be a customer-centric company,” Schiebe expressed. “We want to deliver what customers want. And if they demand V-8 engines, then it is our job to supply very efficient and very powerful V-8 engines.”
“The new electric [G-Wagen] opens up new opportunities for our dealers,” he added. Customers that we may have not attracted in the past, now we have the opportunity to access them.”
In 2025, Mercedes-Benz will introduce a new powertrain option for the G-Class in the US for the first time since its debut in 2002. Along with an electric propulsion system, the base model G550 will no longer feature a twin-turbo V-8 engine, but instead will come equipped with a turbo inline-six engine supported by mild-hybrid technology.
“We have customers that really love the V-8,” Schiebe said. “And they will love the V-8 in the G-Class forever. They can go and continue with the G63. Then we open up [availability] for customers who want to have a very efficient high-performance combustion engine powertrain, the six-cylinder G550. It’s more efficient, it’s more dynamic than its predecessor V-8, this is the right car for them. And then you have the electric one for those who like the shape, look, and feel of the G-Wagen, but say ‘nowadays I don’t want to drive a combustion-engine G-Class anymore.’
“So we actually did, from a business perspective, a kind of de-risking strategy.”
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