Mercedes unveiled its 2025 electric G-Class tonight – which it’s calling the “G580 with EQ technology” – in Beverly Hills, CA, and we’re here at the reveal with all the details.
At the time we had almost no details, but now we’re learning all about the upcoming electric off-roader here in the wilds of… Beverly Hills, California.
So, maybe no heavy off-roading demonstrations are in the cards for today.
But the electric G-Class does have off-roading chops. It comes with 4 independent electric motors putting out a combined 579hp and 879 lb-ft of torque. Each motor has its own 2-speed transmission, giving access to a low-gear with 2:1 gear reduction for off-roading, and the 4 independent motors mean the car can vector torque to whichever wheels need it – even better than a locking differential.
4 wheel motors also means the G580 will be capable of what Mercedes calls G-Turn, its branding of what we’ve previously seen referred to as “tank turn” when Rivian was working on it (but later abandoned and pivoted to “front dig mode” instead). This means it will be able to do 2 full rotations on the spot by spinning the wheels on the left and right sides of the car in opposite directions at once.
However, this feature is more of a toy, just for fun. Mercedes also has a G-steering feature, which is sort of a mini-version of the G-turn, which will help you make extremely tight turns by activating torque vectoring to help make tight turns (though unlike the EQS, it doesn’t have rear-wheel steering).
The G580 can climb up to a 100% (45º) grade and hold stable on lateral slopes of up to 35º, ford 33.5 inches of water (6 inches deeper than the gas version), with 9.8 inches of ground clearance, a 32º approach angle, 30.7º departure angle and 20.3º breakover angle, with independent double wishbone suspension in the front and a solid de Dion axle in the rear.
To help you see where you’re going, the G580 has a “transparent hood” feature, which uses a camera to show what’s in front of and under the car on the internal display. This is important for off-roading, because if you’re going over a ridge or something and can’t see under the hood, the transparent hood can help you see where you’re going.
But it’s also a Mercedes, which means it’s fancy inside. And the 2025 model will be particularly fancy, as it’s only available in EDITION ONE trim with lots of exclusive interior and exterior touches. But you’ll be able to customize the car basically any way you want through Mercedes’ MANUFAKTUR car customization process.
So whether you’re conquering a real jungle or just the concrete jungle of… Rodeo Drive, or Las Vegas for the latest cryptocurrency convention, you’ll feel right at home in the Mercedes G-Class.
That fanciness is certainly needed to justify its price, which Mercedes hasn’t yet released, but said that it will be “in the ballpark” of the G63 (which starts at around $180,000).
The G580 is smaller than the the gas-powered G-Class. At 182″ it’s about 10 inches less long, but just as tall (78″) and as wide (76″). It shares the same 113.8in wheelbase as the gas model.
Otherwise, the exterior shares the boxy design of the gas version. Unlike many EVs, it doesn’t adopt a particularly curvy exterior, and still has a textured grille area.
The decision to stick with a traditional-looking grille goes hand in hand with Mercedes’ recent decision to add a “more classic grille option” to its EQS. And it turns out, if you want the G580 with the traditional G-Class grille, you can just get the standard grille, directly from the gas version, if you prefer it (but then you don’t get those cool lights).
And overall, Mercedes said it was very important to maintain the overall design of the G-Class. So it hasn’t tweaked it to make it look electric, other than some grille modifications and a couple aero bits.
Mercedes says the vehicle has “optimized aerodynamics,” which was surely a primary design intent of this vehicle that consists solely of straight lines. But actually, there have been a couple small changes, like a slightly modified A-pillar and a strip above the windshield to smooth out the front edge of the roof.
As for details on its electric drive capabilities, the aforementioned 4 motors can sprint to 60mph in an estimated 4.6 seconds, and reach a top speed of 112mph/180kmh. These aren’t the fastest numbers out there, but the car isn’t meant to be a racecar – Mercedes could have gone with a bigger battery, or more power, but that would have meant other compromises elsewhere, and Mercedes said that it was far more important to focus on the total package.
Mercedes hasn’t told us a range number yet, but with a 116kWh battery and a face that’s even flatter than its electric-triangle-on-wheels competition, we can imagine its somewhere in the mid-200s. It’s 473km on WLTP, which is 293mi, but WLTP is a little more lenient than EPA numbers.
More importantly than overall range, Mercedes says the G-Class will DC charge from 10-80% in 32 minutes, with a 200kW peak charging rate (and an 11kW AC charge rate). That maths out to an average charge rate of approximately 150kW on DC over the full session, which is pretty reasonable.
Given the car’s massive 116kWh (usable) battery, it still doesn’t charge nearly as fast as a Hyundai/Kia E-GMP car, but it’s still quite good compared to other chunky EVs (the G580 weighs ~6,800lbs/3,805kg, with a GVWR of exactly 3,500kg – the maximum allowed by German law).
The G580 comes with 5 regenerative braking settings, including Mercedes “D-auto” setting, where the car intelligently decides to apply regenerative braking based on traffic conditions (we recently tried this setting on the eSprinter, but struggled to find a situation where it would be useful). Regen activates off-throttle, suggesting the possibility of one-pedal driving, but we haven’t had a chance to try it out and see if its max 217kW regen braking capacity is really strong enough to avoid most brake pedal usage.
For a final cool electric touch, the car has done something new with its iconic rear end. In place of the spare tire carrier that typically adorns the backside of the G-Class, there’s an optional compartment which can be used to store charging cables or the like. You can still opt for the spare tire, too, but I really like the charging box.
Electrek’s Take
Look, this is a G-Class. It’s a statement car, it’s an image car. If you like it, you know that you like it. For the majority of drivers, its off-road capabilities really won’t matter all that much.
What matters here is whether it stays true to the G-Class, and as far as we can tell, it does. It looks like a G-Class and it feels like a G-Class. The doors thunk closed like a G-Class.
And an important note – Mercedes said, “if the G can go electric, any car can go electric.” We, of course, agree. This is a car that has been defined in many ways by excess, with the gas version getting just 14 miles per gallon. And yet here it is, in electric trim, with a huge battery (but not out of line with other huge EVs), beating the gas version’s performance both on- and off-road.
As for the name – while “G580 with EQ technology” is a bit of a mouthful, I actually like the simple designation “G580.” Surely people will refer to it as “the electric G-Class” or the like, but by giving the car a regular model name, Mercedes is saying that it’s treating the car like a regular car.
Instead of siloing EVs into their own sub-brand, Mercedes is saying that this is a G-Class, and if you want a G-Class, this is a G-Class. Mercedes was clear that this is not a rational vehicle, that its customers don’t need a G-Class, they want a G-Class.
So there you go. If you want a G-Class, this is a G-Class.
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Are you wondering what kind of results you’d get if you added a home solar system to your roof? Homeowners are sharing their results online — and the real-world data might surprise you!
In a recent post to r/Solar, a Reddit user going by DontBuyBitcoin shared a screenshot indicating that their newly-installed ~11.5 kW system produced over 1,700 kWh of electricity in October. “Pretty surprised by the production of the system I got,” writes DontBuyBitcoin. “11.48KW. I cant wait to see what JUNE-AUGUST [2026] going to look like 😍 I wish SolarEdge will make their app better looking with more functionality”
Home solar energy chart
1.7 MWh month; via DontBuyBitcoin.
Other Redditors were quick to share in the enthusiasm. “Congratulations!!! Great numbers,” wrote LegalNet4337. “We got 1.6 MWh with a 14.45 kW system. East and West facing panels in SoCal.”
That 1,700 kWh is nothing to sneeze at. Based on the current national average electricity price of about $0.17/kWh (in AUG2025), DontBuyBitcoin’s admittedly large-ish system translates to ~$290 of potential savings. In a higher rate state like Illinois, with a projected 2026 kWh rate that’s closer to $0.18/kWh, that’s ~$306/mo.
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We expect retail electricity prices to residential customers will average 17 cents per kilowatthour (kWh) nationwide in 2025, a 4% increase over 2024, and then rise to approximately 18 cents/kWh in 2026. This rise continues a trend in which residential electricity prices have increased at an average annual rate of 5% each year since the COVID-19 pandemic. The increase in retail electricity prices this year comes as the cost of natural gas to the electric power sector was up more than 40% in 1H25 compared with a year earlier, with similar year-over-year increases forecast for the remainder of 2025. The average cost of natural gas for power generation in our forecast increases another 17% in 2026.
Those are big numbers, but 11-15 kW rooftop solar systems are big. Significantly bigger, in fact, than the US average, ~6.6 kW in 2024 – but you don’t have to have a big system in order to post big numbers. Superior weather conditions and perfect PV panel placement can also get the job done, as another Redditor found.
“The last 2 days we have had perfect weather here in South Florida and I have been able to get over 30 kWh from a 5 kW system with a 3.8 kW inverter. This is the highest I have seen since getting PTO in September,” wrote Redditor dlewis23, who shared another SolarEdge graph. “I am super happy with seeing over 30 kWh in a single day.”
30 kW/day from home solar
Taken altogether, these real-world snapshots prove that whether it’s a modest 5 kW array or a beefy 10+ kW setup, homeowners out in the real world are seeing meaningful, measurable differences from their home solar installations. And, with retail electricity prices projected to keep on rising through the decade, every kilowatt counts.
Electrek’s Take
From Electrek SEP2025 survey.
When we ran our “Why did you choose to go solar?” survey back in September, only 32.6% of respondents chose, “Lowering my monthly utility bills” as their primary motivation to go solar. That result proved, in my mind, that Electrek readers are just better people than most, and seem to be willing to spend a little more to do something positive for their environment and their community.
That said, wasn’t it no less a thinker than Albert Einstein who said, “Compound interest is the most powerful force in the universe” (Google it.)? And, with a 5% rate hike compounding every year from now until the AI and data center bubbles burst, the impact energy rates may have on all our pocketbooks may be enough to put “Lowering my monthly utility bills” back on top.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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It seems like the writing was already on the wall last week when Volvo moved to make its Luminar-supplied LiDAR system an option – there are now reports that the Swedish car brand is set to ditch LiDAR tech entirely in 2026.
In a recent SEC filing following a missed interest payment on its 2L notes, Luminar confirmed that Volvo’s new ES90 and EX90 flagship models (along with the new Polestar 3) would no longer be offered with LiDAR from Luminar. The move signals a full reversal on the safety tech that had started as standard equipment, then became an option, and is now (according to reports from CarScoops) gone altogether.
In a statement, a Volvo Cars USA spokesperson added the decision was reportedly made, “to limit the company’s supply chain risk exposure, and it is a direct result of Luminar’s failure to meet its contractual obligations to Volvo Cars.”
This is what Luminar had to say about the current, icy state of the two companies’ relationship as of the 31OCT filing:
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The Company’s largest customer, Volvo Cars (“Volvo”), has informed us that, beginning in April 2026, Volvo will no longer make our Iris LiDAR standard on its EX90 and ES90 vehicles (although Iris will remain an option). Volvo also informed the Company that it has deferred the decision as to whether to include LiDAR, including Halo (Luminar’s next generation LiDAR under development), in its next generation of vehicles from 2027 to 2029 at the earliest. As a result of these actions, the Company has made a claim against Volvo for significant damages and has suspended further commitments of Iris LiDAR products for Volvo pending resolution of the dispute. The Company is in discussions with Volvo concerning the dispute; however, there can be no assurance that the dispute will be resolved favorably or at all. Furthermore, there can be no guarantee that any claim or litigation against Volvo will be successful or that the Company will be able to recover damages from Volvo.
As a result of the foregoing, the Company is suspending its guidance for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025.
On November 14, Luminar confirmed that Volvo had terminated its contract altogether, in a blow that could leave Luminar rethinking its long-term future and planning litigation against its biggest ex-customer.
The news follows a host of significant upgrades to the EX90 that include a new, more dependable electronic control module (ECM) and 800V system architecture for faster charging and upgraded ADAS that improves the automatic emergency steering functions and Park Pilot assistant.
That said, it’ll be interesting to see if ditching the LiDAR has a negative impact there. Or, frankly, whether ditching the LiDAR and its heavy compute loads will actually help mitigate some of the EX90’s niggling software issues. It could go either way, really – and I’m not quite sure which it will be. Let us know which way you think it’ll go in the comments.
SOURCE: Luminar, via SEC filing; featured image by Volvo.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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The new John Deere Z370RS Electric ZTrak zero turn electric riding mower promises all the power and performance Deere’s customers have come to expect from its quiet, maintenance-free electric offerings – but with an all new twist: removable batteries.
The latest residential ZT electric mower from John Deere features a 42″ AccelDeep mower deck for broad, capable cuts through up to 1.25 acres of lawn per charge, which is about what you’d expect from the current generation of battery-powered Deeres – but this is where the new Z370RS Electric ZTrak comes into its own.
Flip the lid behind the comfortably padded yellow seat and you’ll be greeted by six (6!) 56V ARC Lithium batteries from electric outdoor brand EGO. Those removable batteries can be swapped out of the Z370RS for fresh ones in seconds, getting you back to work in less time than it takes to gravity pour a tank of gas.
When John Deere launched the first Z370R, Peter Johnson wrote that electrifying lawn equipment needs to be a priority, citing EPA data that showed gas-powered lawnmowers making up five percent of the total air pollution in the US (despite covering far less than 5% of the total miles driven on that gas). “Moreover,” he writes, “it takes about 800 million gallons of gasoline each year (with an additional 17 million gallons spilled) to fuel this equipment.”
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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