Mercedes G-Class EV could get 400-mile range with new battery

Mercedes-Benz is planning to dramatically increase the range of its electric G-Class with a new type of battery chemistry earmarked for production in just two years.  The new silicon anode battery, currently at an advanced stage of development in a partnership between Mercedes and US company Sila Nanotechnologies, is set to be offered as an option from 2026 onwards in a move Autocar has been told will significantly boost the range of the EV 4x4, officially named G580 with EQ Technology. Revealed at the 2024 Beijing motor show, the electric G-Class is launching with a 116kWh (usable) battery with lithium nickel manganese cobalt cells supplied by China's CATL. The existing graphite anode battery provides the quad-motor G580 with an official range of 292 miles.  Related articles But even before the first deliveries of the plush electric off-roader get underway, Mercedes officials have already confirmed plans to upgrade the new model with its most energy-dense battery to date.  Details revealed previously confirm the new silicon anode battery provides a 20-40% increase in energy density, with prototype units reaching more than 800Wh/l at cell level. This will enable Mercedes-Benz to store more energy in the same battery casing. Even with a 20% increase in energy density, the electric G-class would benefit from a 23kWh increase in capacity at 139kWh. With the same 4.1km/kWh as the existing G580, this would increase the range of the upgraded model with the new silicon anode battery to somewhere in the region of 354 miles. A 40% boost in density, by the same measure, would push capacity to 162kWh and could send the official range figure beyond 400 miles.  “Delivering such a high energy density is a true game changer and allows us to think in completely new directions when developing future electric cars,” said Markus Schäfer, chief technology officer at Mercedes-Benz.  Mercedes-Benz invested in Sila Nanotechnologies in 2019. Since then, the two companies have worked closely to bring silicon anode battery technology to large scale production. As well as being earmarked for the G580, the new battery is also planned to be introduced to other electric Mercedes-Benz models, including the EQE and EQS saloons, and their SUV siblings. Mercedes G580 with EQ Technology: everything you need to know Known throughout its development as the EQG, the 4x4 will be known as the G580 with EQ Technology in production form. The lengthy moniker represents a shift in the naming strategy for electric Mercedes vehicles, and also showcases how the G580 was developed to be a G-Class that just happens to be battery powered. The G580 is virtually identical in design to the recently updated G450d, with a subtle reworking of the engine grille and discrete EQ badges to set it apart. But there has been extensive work to maximise aerodynamic efficiency, including a new A-pillar design and a new spoiler lip on the front of the roof.