It has long been rumored that Mercedes could make a smaller version of the G-Class that will continue to use the ICE, but that won’t happen. In an interview with Autocar, Mercedes-Benz Chief Technology Officer Markus Schaefer said that the upcoming baby G-Class will be powered by electric motors.

It is expected that Mercedes will present the baby G-Class in 2026, and this year the German manufacturer will present the new G-Class, known as EQG. The new model could arrive with technologies similar to those of the next-generation standard G-Class, developed by Magna Steyr. Mercedes claims that the electric EQG will be its most capable SUV and that it will be much better than the ICE version, which means better off-road capabilities.

Schaefer also said that the smaller G-Class will not be based on the MMA platform that was developed for entry-level models in the electric era, but will use the platform used by Mercedes’ larger rear-wheel drive cars.

The Mercedes-Benz EQG will be powered by four electric motors, one at each wheel, and will be equipped with torque control software at each wheel, which is crucial for off-road driving.

Source: Mercedes-Benz