Mercedes G-Class electric vs G 63: what’s different?

Mercedes-Benz recently launched the G 580 in India at an ex-showroom price of Rs 3 crore. It is essentially an all-electric version of the iconic G-Class, and on the face of it, it doesn’t look far removed from its ICE sibling. It even carries over the ladder frame chassis from the regular G 63, but it is the powertrain that completely sets the two models apart – the G 580 uses a new-age quad electric motor setup while the G 63 makes do with an old-school, twin-turbocharged V8 engine. Here, we are going to explore how the G 580 and G 63 stack up against each other on paper.

Mercedes G 580 vs G 63: exterior design

Mercedes G 580 vs G 63 front quarter

You’d be hard-pressed to tell the G 580 apart from the G 63 in just one glance. The original G’s design is iconic and immediately recognisable, and it is perhaps a good thing that Mercedes hasn’t strayed too far from it for the electric G. There are just a few tweaks – the bonnet has been raised slightly, and it gets new air vents on the rear wheel arches, both in the interest of improving aerodynamic efficiency (Mercedes claims the drag coefficient has come down to 0.44, compared to the regular G’s 0.48cd, not that it matters anyway for something that’s shaped like a brick).

Being an AMG, the G 63 gets a slightly sportier treatment for the grille and bumpers, but the G’s signature elements, like the round headlamps, the fender-mounted turn indicators, the protection strip on the side and the tailgate-mounted spare wheel have all been retained for the electric G. However, both models have a different design for the alloy wheels. The G 63 gets 22-inch rims, while the G 580 uses 20-inch rims. Both models also get badging on their front fenders, indicating their powertrain.  

Mercedes G 580 vs G 63: interior and features

The interior of the G 580 and the G 63 is, again, nearly identical. The G 63 has a sportier AMG-spec steering wheel, but the twin-screen infotainment and instrument displays, the turbine-inspired AC vents, the grab handle on the passenger side of the dashboard and even the colour scheme on both models are very similar.

Mercedes G 580 vs G 63 interior

However, there’s one crucial difference in their switchgear. The signature differential lock buttons on the dashboard have been replaced by buttons for the G-turn and G-steering (more on that later).

Mercedes G 580 vs G 63: powertrain, specs

Powering the G 63 is a 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine that produces 585hp and 850Nm of peak torque. The engine is coupled to a 48V mil-hybrid system that gives an additional burst of 22hp for short durations. Power is sent to all four wheels via a 9-speed DCT gearbox.

Meanwhile, the G 580 uses four electric motors – one on each wheel – producing a combined 587hp and a whopping 1,164Nm of torque. And even though an EV does not need a gearbox, the G 580 gets a two-speed transmission with a low range for the really gnarly off-road situations. It even gets an off-road crawl function that reduces speeds to as low as 2kph. The four electric motors draw power from a 116kWh battery that has a WLTP range of 473km, which is on the more conservative side.  

The G 580 carries over the ladder frame chassis from the G 63, but in order to make space for the battery, the pack is split into two layers, with three layers of cooling that further go in between them.

Mercedes G 580 vs G 63 rear quarter

As for performance, Mercedes claims a 0-100kph sprint time of 4.7 seconds for the G 580 and 4.4 seconds for the G 63; the top speed is 180kph and 220kph, respectively. Do remember that the G 580 is much heavier, with a kerb weight of 3,085kg, versus the G 63, which weighs 2,640kg.

Mercedes G 580 vs G 63: off-road stats

Mercedes claims that the G 580 is even more capable off-road than the regular G-Class. A quick look at the stats shows that the G 580’s approach and departure angles are slightly better, and that has likely been achieved through reprofiling the bumpers. Notably, due to the positioning of the battery, the G 580 has a much lesser breakover angle than the G 63, even though their wheelbases are identical at 2,890mm. However, the G 580 has a much better water-wading capacity than the G 63.    

Mercedes G 580 vs G 63 side profile

Being an EV, the G 580 does not get front, centre or rear mechanical differential locks like the G 63. Instead, that function is served here electronically by a torque vectoring system that sends drive to the wheels that have the most traction. The quad electric motor also allows for the very cool G-turn feature (arguably its biggest party trick), which enables the car to do a 360-degree turn at the same spot. There’s also the G-Steering feature, which helps reduce the turning circle by pivoting around an individual rear wheel.

Mercedes G 580 vs G 63: price

This is where it really gets interesting. Unlike most vehicles, where the EV equivalent typically costs more than its ICE counterpart, the all-electric G is much cheaper than the G 63. And that makes it quite a steal. Despite Mercedes’ billing of the G 580 as being superior off-road, it is ultimately going to spend most of its time on the tarmac. It is familiar territory inside out, and it has the same levels of desirability and performance. You don’t get the drama of the V8, but it has other cool features that give it a unique appeal.