This post was originally published on Autocar
‘Little G’ is expected to be priced in line with combustion-engined rivals
New model is set to ditch ladder-frame construction while retaining legendary design cues
Mercedes-Benz is ramping up the development of its entry-level G-Class, a smaller electric car that will be pitched against a new breed of rugged crossovers such as the upcoming Land Rover Defender ‘Sport’.
Pencilled to launch in 2027, the highly anticipated model, currently referred to as ‘Little G’, will be a sibling to the larger, legendary off-roader and sold exclusively as an EV. It is intended to give Mercedes a foothold in the popular rugged crossover market.
The smaller G-Class was initially confirmed by Mercedes CEO Ola Källenius at the 2023 Munich motor show. It has been conceived to sit below the existing model in an expansion of the company’s G (for Geländewagen, German for off-road vehicle) sub-brand established in 2020 alongside Maybach, EQ and AMG variants.
Unlike those siblings, which sit on a ladder-frame chassis, the new 4×4 will use the German car maker’s new, and more conventional, MB:EA platform. Also underpinning the upcoming electric versions of the GLC and C-Class saloon, MB:EA will give it a unibody construction, an 800V electric architecture and a new fifth-generation battery aimed at providing it with a range of more than 434 miles.
Visually, the new model will take strong design cues from the “iconic DNA” of the existing G-Class, with “its own character, but it will be a G”, Mercedes design chief Gorden Wagener previously told Autocar. It is understood the car will also be marked out from its range-mates by having a lower-case ‘g’ in its nameplate.
It will be far from an entry-level model, though: the Little G is expected to be priced from around £70,000. By comparison, the only existing electric G-Class model, the G580 EQ, is priced at £180,860 in the UK and the range’s most affordable model, the diesel-powered 362bhp G450d, is £135,535.
This would, like the current G-Class does now, position it as a luxury option over rivals such as the incoming Defender ‘Sport’ (set to be priced significantly lower than the £57,000 full-size Defender) and production version of the Toyota Compact Cruiser (the new entry point into the Land Cruiser range).
One key draw of the new G-Class, according to insiders, is its traditional utilitarian design. Autocar has been told it will feature a squared-off profile with flat and near-to-vertical surfaces, giving it a distinctive military-grade look. It will also adopt a glasshouse with an almost flat windscreen, side windows and rear screen.
Although an earlier design proposal for the Little G featured headlights with a U-shaped graphic, a more refined version is said to have progressed to a round headlight graphic similar to that of the latest incarnation of the larger G-Class.
Further signature design details include rectangular indicators mounted on top of the front wings, angular wheelhouses with flared wheel arches and a spare wheel mounted on the rear tailgate.
Despite the model’s upright design and generous ground clearance, Mercedes is said to have achieved a drag coefficient “well below” the 0.44 of the G580 EQ, pictured below.
Inside, it will feature seating for five and offer a different design from the rest of the G-Class range. This will include a shallow dashboard design and a connecting centre console that is similar in look to that of the new third-generation CLA saloon.
Power for the standard entry-level Little G is set to come from Mercedes’ new eATS 2.0 electric motors. Different from the Siemens Valeo motors used in existing electric-powered Mercedes models, this set-up adopts a two-speed gearbox, among other changes, for added efficiency and refinement. In the technically similar electric GLC, the rear motor is claimed to develop up to 355bhp, with a second, smaller motor mounted at the front to bring an additional 147bhp for a potential 482bhp.
Basing the Little G on the MB.EA platform means it departs from the ladder-frame construction of the G-Class. However, sources say an advanced four-wheel drive system is in the works – one that will be capable of mimicking the three mechanical differential locks of the standard G-Class.
Alongside this, the new entry-level 4×4 will get dedicated driving modes. A modified version of the GLC’s double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension, with air springs offering variable ride height, will provide it with “outstanding” off-road capability.
Future performance models are also planned. Pencilled in to arrive from 2028, these models will use Mercedes-AMG’s new axial-flux electric motors, which will also be adopted by the upcoming CLA 45 and GT SUV.
Underpinning the decision by Mercedes to expand its G sub-brand is an explosion of off-roader sales in its largest market, China. Last year, Mercedes recorded a 28% decline in net profit, which it blamed almost exclusively on the downturn in interest from buyers in China.
Newly launched sub-brands such as BYD’s Fangchengbao, Chery’s iCar and Dongfeng’s Mengshi show a growing interest from buyers for heritage-inspired four-wheel-drive models, something Mercedes wants to capitalise on with the new entry-level car.
The resurrection of the Ford Bronco and launch of the Jeep Wrangler 4xe have also caused a surge in sales for rugged, adventure-focused off-roaders in the US – typically the G-Class’s largest market by sales.