- We’ve tested the 2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 EV and the gas-fed 2025 Mercedes-Benz G550, and the results are illuminating.
- The EV weighs 1208 pounds more than the gasser, yet it beats it to 60 mph (4.1 vs. 5.0 seconds) and in the quarter-mile (12.6 vs. 13.6 seconds).
- Using the identical tires, the EV also trounces the gasser on the skidpad (0.80 vs 0.63 g) and also stops a wee bit shorter (162 vs 165 feet)
Welcome to Car and Driver's Testing Hub, where we zoom in on the test numbers. We've been pushing vehicles to their limits since 1956 to provide objective data to bolster our subjective impressions (you can see how we test here).
Both of these G-wagens, the G580 EV and the gasoline-powered G550, look pretty much identical. The only difference is the EV has a blocked-off grille (that’s illuminated) and a square rear carrier that’s a bit too small to hide a spare tire. Instead, it has space for a charging cord. Open the hood and you’ll see an expanse of plastic instead of a supercharged and turbocharged inline-six engine. So, to better see how these boxy luxury off-roaders differ in performance, we strapped our test equipment to them and compared the results.
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Acceleration Altercation
The G580 (full name: G580 with EQ Technology) has four electric motors (two at each end) that team up for 579 hp and 859 pound-feet of torque. Between them, there is a rather massive liquid-cooled battery pack with 116.0 kWh of usable energy. The whole shebang weighs some 6908 pounds on our scales. The 2025 G550, on the other hand, has a supercharged and turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six that makes 443 hp and 413 pound-feet of torque. It weighs exactly 5700 pounds with a full tank of gas. Do the math, and the G580 has a slight weight-to-power advantage of 11.9 versus 12.9 for the G550.
When you unleash the EV’s power, it takes just 4.1 seconds to hit 60 mph and 10.4 seconds to reach 100 mph. It crosses the quarter-mile stripe in 12.6 seconds at 108 mph. The gasser, meanwhile, takes a fair bit longer, needing 5.0 seconds to reach 60 mph and 13.3 seconds to get to 100 mph. It almost takes a quarter-mile to do that, so it’s little surprise that it takes 13.6 ticks to cross the line at 101 mph. Clearly, the moderate weight-to-power difference isn’t telling the whole story. Maybe there’s something to be said about the torque of electric motors and the fact that the G580 doesn’t really have a transmission. Well, it does have low range, but you don’t use it here. Meanwhile, the G550 must march up (partway) through its nine-speed gearbox.
Skidpad Scuffle
Despite the weight difference, the G580 and G550 share the same Falken Azenis FK520 tires, and they both use the identical 275/50R-20 size. Their suspensions are mostly the same too, with control arms up front and a solid axle in the rear. Yes, the G550 has a live axle with a prop shaft, and the G580 has a de Dion live rear axle that surrounds its chassis-mounted rear motors and half-shafts. From the point of view of the wheel hubs and tires, however, it’s all the same: It’s a solid axle, with the same dimensions.
And yet, the G580 crushes the G550 on the skidpad by scoring an outstanding 0.80 g. Meanwhile, the G550 withers and shrinks to a paltry 0.63 g. Actually, the 0.63 g of the gasser is closer to par for the course for this lot, and it's the G580 that stands out here. All of the extra weight is down low below the floor, maybe more than that if you consider the relatively high position of the inline-six and nine-speed automatic transmission. The G580 has a much lower center of gravity (CG) and simply doesn’t roll nearly as much as the G550. It doesn’t lean on its tires until much later.
Braking Battle
It doesn’t end there. During 70-mph stops, the G580 also beats the G550, although this one is a closer run thing. The electric G bests the gasoline-powered version 162 to 165 feet, despite being 1208 pounds heavier. This one is a little harder to unpack, but the principle is similar. The weight distribution of the EV is far more favorable than the G550, as the big SUV pitches forward under braking. Some 48.4 percent of the weight is on the front axle of the electrified one versus 52.5 percent for the one that runs on dino juice. The gasser already has more weight on the nose, and it just gets worse when you slam on the brakes.
Meanwhile, the G580 starts out with a much smaller percentage of its weight on the front axle, while at the same time it has that (much) lower CG, which works against that extreme forward weight shift. It’s hard to measure the dynamic load change, but suffice it to say the EV’s tires are sharing the load far better than the G550’s. To that end, the rear rotors on the G580 are slightly bigger, 13.9 instead of 13.6 inches, but there’s no difference at the all-important front.
Finally, we compared the two in our RTI test. Once again, the G580 came out on top with a score of 549. The G550 did just 504. If you take anything away from this comparison, it’s that the G580 EV is a legitimate contender, on-road and off. Oh, and did we say it does tank turns? You get that when each wheel is powered by its own motor.
Dan Edmunds was born into the world of automobiles, but not how you might think. His father was a retired racing driver who opened Autoresearch, a race-car-building shop, where Dan cut his teeth as a metal fabricator. Engineering school followed, then SCCA Showroom Stock racing, and that combination landed him suspension development jobs at two different automakers. His writing career began when he was picked up by Edmunds.com (no relation) to build a testing department.
