- Mercedes wanted to offer its 2027 baby G-Wagen as a pure EV, but it has reportedly thrown ICE into the mix, too.
- A new report claims that Mercedes will now build the baby G on a platform related to the new CLA, giving it that flexibility.
- The timeline for its launch hasn’t changed, though, and it’s still expected to be revealed sometime in 2027.
Mercedes is making a shrunken version of its iconic G-Class, announced in 2023 and set to debut in 2027 as a pure electric vehicle. A lot seems to have changed since it was confirmed, though. It will be around 30% smaller than its bigger brother—that hasn’t changed—but it will apparently also be available with a combustion engine, which wasn’t part of the original brief.
Older reports suggested that the baby G would be built on the same platform as the new electric GLC. However, Autocar revealed today that it’s no longer the case, quoting information from Mercedes boss Markus Schäfer, who told the publication that the model will instead be built on a special platform that blends a traditional ladder chassis with elements from the MMA platform that underpins the new CLA and GLB. Both models offer hybrid and fully electric powertrains.
This change would make it easier for the manufacturer to slot a combustion engine under its hood. Autocar says that’s exactly what Mercedes is doing. However the low-slung CLA wouldn’t make a great off-roader as it sits, so expect some serious changes in the design and powertrain for the new mission.
The pure electric version of the baby G will reportedly be powered by a pair of eATS2.0 electric motors, one for each axle, and it could potentially draw from the same 85-kilowatt-hour NMC battery as the electric CLA and GLB. The latter gets a WLTP range rating of 381 miles (614 km) with this battery, so the boxier, less aerodynamic and likely heavier baby G will not go as far.
I wouldn’t expect it to be as capable off-road as the big G-Class EV, which features four individual motors with four low-range gears for unmatched traction and torque vectoring. A dual-motor small model won’t be able to perform a tank turn or the G Steer feature, both of which require one motor per wheel.
Now, what could have made Mercedes change course and switch platforms for an upcoming model mid-development? Well, one reason could be the poor sales of the electric G-Class, which we liked. But buyers don’t seem particularly interested in it, despite its strong performance, capability, and unique features.
Another reason might be the 2035 European Union combustion engine sales ban, which is no longer a ban but a heavy restriction on combustion car sales thereafter. It does, however, allow manufacturers to keep combustion cars in their lineups for longer. Mercedes says it also wants to offer buyers as much choice as possible to make sure it caters to all needs and preferences.
A lot of manufacturers these days are coming forward with a similar narrative and backtracking on older EV plans. Most are still launching new and improved EVs, but they all seem to want a gas-powered plan B.
