The Chevrolet Corvette and Ford Mustang, Lexus LS, Toyota 4Runner, and Honda S2000 are a few absolutely legendary vehicles. Another model that belongs in this pantheon of impressive machinery is the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, or G-Wagen, if you prefer. Boxy, luxurious, and ready for anything, this military-grade machine looks as comfortable cruising up and down Rodeo Drive in Beverley Hills, California, as it does climbing the Schöckl in the Austrian Alps. Broadening this SUV’s appeal, if only slightly, the automaker is offering a lease discount on the all-electric G 580 with EQ Technology.
A Drop In The Bucket
As reported by Electrek, a bulletin sent to dealerships suggests this rough-and-ready EV is now eligible for $9,500 in lease cash. That’s an increase of $2,000 compared to what was offered last month, a healthy 27 percent jump.
This welcome, if ultimately small, financial tweak seems to coincide with the ending of federal electric vehicle subsidies in the U.S., which are drawing to a close on September 30.
In general, lowering the price of a product is a fantastic way to sell more of them, though this leasing bonus probably won’t matter much with the all-electric G-Class. With $1,150 in destination charges, this SUV checks out for a staggering $162,650 before any options are added. Go hog wild with the extras, and you can push the sticker to around 200 grand. On a percentage basis, taking nearly 10 grand off the sticker – or offering it as a lease discount in this case – is almost nothing, and likely won’t make any difference to the well-heeled drivers shopping for these battery-powered beasts. Paraphrasing American financier J.P. Morgan, if you have to ask, you can’t afford it.
Naturally, if you’d rather lease a G 580 with EQ Technology, it’s going to cost you. Drivers with excellent credit that opt for a 36-month term and plan on driving 10,000 miles per year or fewer are looking at a monthly payment north of $2,500, plus they have to shell out nearly $14,700 at the time of signing. A strong value this Mercedes-Benz certainly is not.
Four Motors For Plenty Of Speed
But the all-electric G-Class is a potent performer. This SUV has 579 horsepower and a staggering 859 pound-feet of torque courtesy of four permanently excited synchronous electric motors. Those little dynamos are strong enough to propel this leather-lined brick from a standstill to 60 mph in just 4.6 seconds.
This Mercedes-Benz EV delivers incredible straight-line speed, but it’s considerably slower in other important areas. The vehicle only DC fast charges at up to 200 kilowatts, which means it takes around 32 minutes to juice the battery up from a 10 percent state of charge to 80 percent. Beyond that, thanks to the G 580 with EQ Technology’s tall body and boxy styling, the range is only estimated at 239 miles, a disappointing showing, especially for a vehicle this expensive.
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