Compared to prior years, the rise in electric vehicle (EV) sales has slowed down, especially as the market has become saturated with a range of EV alternatives. Early adopters, people who are usually eager to embrace new technologies and want to stay on the leading edge of innovation, made up the majority of first EV buyers, thus explaining the slowdown. These early adopters are keeping their electric vehicles, though, which complicates the arrival of fresh designs.
At the same time, some cars have gained notoriety around the internal combustion engine (ICE). Although turning these cars to electric does not automatically reduce their value, the main audience of purchasers might not easily accept this change. This is especially true for many sports cars, and especially for the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, a well-known off-road vehicle prized for its strong V-8 engine and occasionally even a V-12. Importantly, the Mercedes G-Class has debuted a fully electric model for the first time; still, statistics show that sales haven’t been excellent.
According to Handelsblatt, interviews with Mercedes-Benz executives show that the electric G-Class (officially called the G 580 with EQ Technology) is having trouble as it stays on dealer lots like lead.
Many will likely find themselves parked in temperature-controlled garages as the electric Mercedes G-Class has historically been regarded as a speciality car. Another anonymous Mercedes-Benz executive agrees with this viewpoint, calling the model a ‘niche model’ in the same story.
Markus Nast, Manager of Global Communication for Compact Cars, Midsize Cars, and the G-Class, shared insights with Motor1: “The G-Class continues to be proven popular. The Mercedes G-Class achieved its best-ever sales quarter in Q4 2024 and continued its sales performance in the first quarter of 2025 with sales up +18% compared to last year. Mercedes-Benz is prepared for all market scenarios. In the 2020s, we can flexibly offer vehicles with both a fully electric drivetrain and an electrified high-tech combustion engine. Our customers decide what suits them best. This also applies to the G-Class.”