Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon goes electric: Meet the G 580

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- If ever a vehicle has evolved to be a must-have among certain taste makers, it's arguably the Mercedes-Benz "Geländewagen" or G-Class, or G-Wagon as it's more widely known.

The tough, chunky-looking SUV with roots in the Austrian military has become a ride of choice among the fashion-conscious.

For example, if you're connected at all to the Kardashian family, having one or more of the pricey G-Wagons almost seems to be a birthright. Other celebrities have been seen in these vehicles as well, from Arnold Schwarzenegger to Britney Spears, to Bradley Cooper...even the pope.

Now, a new take on the Mercedes "it-car" as it were: it's gone electric.

The new model is the G 580. That number alone might not mean much, but the letters EQ as part of its name and badging mean it's part of Mercedes-Benz's emerging line of fully-electric vehicles. No gasoline at all for this one; just a big 116 kWh battery and four electric motors, one driving each wheel. No official EPA driving range has been announced yet, but it should be about 235 miles based on calculations from the European test standard.

If you can't tell the difference by looking at it, that's intentional. At casual glance, the new battery-powered G-Wagon (maybe it'll pick up a new nickname..."EV-G-Wagon"?) looks very much like every other example you've seen. Don't mess with success, as the saying goes.

In fact, the entire vehicle has been redesigned twice in recent years, but still very purposely looks nearly identical to the first Geländewagen that came out in the late 1970s. (It didn't officially go on sale in the U.S. until the early 2000s.)

Inside, it's not as roomy a vehicle as its exterior presence might suggest. There are only two rows of seats, and stretch-out room for the driver is somewhat limited. Nevertheless, many professional athletes have joined the red-carpet crowd as G-Wagon owners over the years.

But now, those A-listers can join the move toward electric power, another growing trend. And yes, an A-list bank account helps to acquire one.

The G 580 officially starts at $161,500. But for 2025, "Edition One" is the only choice, equipped with all kinds of extra features. My South Sea Blue Magno test vehicle (the color itself is a $4,230 option) checked in at $190,420. Those are suggested retail prices. Suggested. Dealers may or may not charge what the market will bear.

Going electric in this legendary vehicle is also merely suggested. You can still get a gas version.

One of the ways the G-Wagon has always stood out is that it's pretty bold when it comes to the sounds it makes. Not just the booming staccato from its V8 engine (especially the hot-rodded AMG examples), but things like the solid, vault-like sounds of the doors latching, and even the loud "clack" the door locks make.

Oh, the cool noises haven't totally gone away, but the iconic V8 rumble is replaced by an electronic rumble through the interior speakers. From the outside, the G 580 just sounds like an electric vehicle.

And if you want the sounds of rocks, gravel, and dirt crunching under the tires, this is still a very capable off-road vehicle with some cool technological assist if you choose to leave the pavement, though most of these likely won't. They'll serve their owners well by remaining an icon, and still looking cool and tough going down the asphalt. But now, minus any exhaust.