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Mercedes EQG spotted completing winter testing

Mercedes-Benz Concept EQG - Credit: Mercedes-Benz

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The upcoming Mercedes EQG, the electric variant of the historic G-Class SUV, has been spotted completing winter testing in Germany.

The Mercedes G Class SUV is one of the oldest model names in the automotive industry, and despite its long heritage, it has changed in design and purpose very little. It remains a boxy offroading SUV that offers the driver and passengers unparalleled comfort. As Mercedes electrifies its lineup, the electrified version of the vehicle, the EQG, has been seen testing ahead of a possible launch this year or next.

The Mercedes EQG was spotted in Germany by the car spotting Instagram, @race356:

 

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A post shared by Andreas Mau (@race356)

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The two pictures show a surprisingly uncamouflaged electric G class, identified not only by its electric circuit-themed wrap, but by its lack of tailpipe and covered grill.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Andreas Mau (@race356)

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The concept/prototype version of the Mercedes EQG was first revealed in 2021 when the chief designer, Emmerich Schiller, outlined some basic but intriguing technical specifications of the vehicle. Mr. Schiller stated that the vehicle would use a quad-motor all-wheel-drive system paired with a unique ladder frame, an integrated battery, and an intricate 2-speed “transfer case” (for lack of a better term). One central point was made clear by these upgrades; the electric G wagon would not lose its offroading capabilities as it changed its drivetrain.

Other specifications, including pricing, electric range, and more, have not yet been made public by Mercedes, but they may be predicted with reasonable estimates.

The upcoming electric Mercedes should obviously not be expected to come in at a budget-friendly starting price. The gas version of the Mercedes G Class starts at an eye-watering $139,900. Considering the price of other electric models has closely mimicked similar Mercedes gas offerings, it would be surprising to see the vehicle start for less than $140,000.

Considering the range of options and trims that Mercedes makes available, including AMG variants, a Mercedes EQG could be priced from the low $140,000 range to close to $200,000 for a top-trim AMG version.

In terms of performance specifications, it should be noted that Mercedes’ next-gen EV platform is just around the corner. Mercedes has promised better motor efficiency, higher battery density, and improved performance specifications with the new platform. Nonetheless, you can still get a good idea of the minimum specifications by using the specifications of the parts available today.

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If Mercedes used parts from the EQS SUV, the EQG would be fitted with a 107.8kWh battery. This battery, which gives the EQS SUV a range of 305 miles, would likely be strained in the larger, more powerful, and far less aerodynamic EQG. Hence, even if the EQG saw a modest 20% drop in efficiency compared to the EQS SUV, it would only be capable of a range between 200 and 250 miles.

Regarding its output numbers, considering the vehicle uses four motors, the EQG could produce between 1000 and 1400 cumulative horsepower and between 1200 and 1600 pound-feet of torque if it used motors found within the EQS SUV.

Despite the German luxury brand’s numerous videos on the EQG concept, the company has not yet clarified when the vehicle will be launched. Yet with the company completing testing on what is no longer a first-gen prototype vehicle, many anticipate that the vehicle could be revealed in production form later this year or next.

Luckily, due to America’s never-ending demand for SUVs over the past few years, Mercedes is more incentivized than ever to release the vehicle as quickly as possible. Hopefully, this demand, compounded with the company’s drive towards electrification, will mean the historic G wagon becomes electric sooner rather than later.

What do you think of the article? Do you have any comments, questions, or concerns? Shoot me an email at william@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @WilliamWritin. If you have news tips, email us at tips@teslarati.com!

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Will is an auto enthusiast, a gear head, and an EV enthusiast above all. From racing, to industry data, to the most advanced EV tech on earth, he now covers it at Teslarati.

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SpaceX sets the record straight on Jim Bridenstine and Artemis 3

SpaceX argued that Bridenstine’s comments should be taken with a grain of salt as he is working as a paid lobbyist for companies that are competing for NASA contracts.

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Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX pushed back firmly against former NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine after he questioned the agency’s reliance on Starship for the Artemis 3 Moon mission. 

In a detailed thread on X, SpaceX argued that Bridenstine’s comments should be taken with a grain of salt as he is working as a paid lobbyist for companies that are competing for NASA contracts.

Bridenstine’s comments on Starship and Artemis 3

Bridenstine and fellow former NASA chief Charlie Bolden noted during a recent symposium that NASA’s current Artemis strategy is approaching zero chance of beating China to the Moon. Bridenstine expressed skepticism that NASA’s current architecture, which is expected to use Starship to transport astronauts to and from the lunar surface, could succeed in time. 

“Starship is a tremendously important vehicle for the future,” Bridenstine said, as per Space News. “It’s going to deliver large mass to low Earth orbit for a long time, and it’s going to drive down costs and increase access. But if you need a moon lander, it’s going to take time.” 

SpaceX responds to the former NASA administrator’s comments

In a series of posts on X, SpaceX noted that while the company is very thankful to the former NASA administrator for helping create the Artemis Program, his comments about Starship might not necessarily be coming from a place of objectivity. 

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SpaceX’s comments are as follows: “Like many Americans, we are thankful for Mr. Bridenstine’s service leading NASA at one point. He deserves credit for spearheading the creation of the Artemis Program. After departing NASA, he created a lobbying firm called the Artemis Group, representing a host of aerospace companies vying for NASA business. 

“Mr. Bridenstine’s current campaign against Starship is either misguided or intentionally misleading. SpaceX was selected to design and develop a Human Landing System for Artemis along with Blue Origin and Dynetics during Mr. Bridenstine’s tenure as NASA Administrator. 

“Starship was then selected by NASA for the Artemis III mission through fair and open competition after being identified as the best and lowest risk technical option – and the lowest price by a wide margin – by the civil servant team appointed to lead the agency’s exploration mission by Mr. Bridenstine himself. 

“The decision to select Starship was confirmed repeatedly following protest and litigation from the companies not selected which delayed the start of work on the contract for many months. Mr. Bridenstine’s recent musings promoting a new landing system – going so far as to invoke the Defense Production Act – are being misreported as though they were the unbiased thoughts of a former NASA Administrator. They are not.

“To be clear, he is a paid lobbyist. He is representing his clients’ interests, and his comments should be seen for what they are – a paid lobbyist’s effort to secure billions more in government funding for his clients who are already years late and billions of dollars overbudget,” SpaceX wrote. 

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Elon Musk just dropped a huge detail on the Tesla Roadster

“Whether it’s good or bad, it will be unforgettable. My friend Peter Thiel once reflected that the future was supposed to have flying cars, but we don’t have flying cars. I think if Peter wants a flying car, he should be able to buy one.”

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tesla roadster
Credit: Tesla

Elon Musk dropped a huge detail on the Tesla Roadster on his latest appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast.

Tesla has been teasing the Roadster for years. The company has constantly delayed the vehicle, hoping to push its limits past anything that is even imaginable by the human mind.

Earlier this year, the company said it would put on a “most epic demo” for the Roadster, displaying and unveiling all its capabilities, some new, some previously talked about. However, nobody really knows what to expect.

On the JRE Podcast, Musk joined Rogan for an over three-hour conversation about a variety of topics, but Tesla was something that was evidently on the agenda.

One of the parts of the Tesla conversation that is getting a lot of attention is Musk’s new teasing of the Roadster, saying it has “crazy technology” that might not even qualify as an automobile in the classic sense.

Musk confirmed that Tesla is “getting close to demonstrating the prototype,” and said he can guarantee the demo “will be unforgettable.”

He continued:

“Whether it’s good or bad, it will be unforgettable. My friend Peter Thiel once reflected that the future was supposed to have flying cars, but we don’t have flying cars. I think if Peter wants a flying car, he should be able to buy one.”

Musk went on to say, with a smile, that Joe would have to “wait and see” what Tesla had come up with.

He went on:

“I think it has a shot at being the most memorable product unveil ever. [It will be unveiled] hopefully before the end of the year. You know, we need to make sure that it works. This is some crazy technology in this car. Let’s just put it this way: if you took all the James Bond cars and combined them, it’s crazier than that.”

Tesla has said for years that the Roadster would be able to at least hover, thanks to a SpaceX package that would feature cold gas thrusters that would help the vehicle get in the air.

The new Tesla Roadster will be able to fly: Elon Musk

Musk seemed very confident in his answers and very excited to show off what the Tesla Roadster is capable of. The real question is: how long will it take Tesla to get the car to market after the launch and unveiling? How many units will it manufacture? How much will it cost?

All of those things are details we will have to wait for Tesla to reveal at the Roadster event.

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Tesla targets gas car owners with this crazy new promotion

Tesla is now offering 2,000 free Supercharging miles to any gas car owner who chooses to trade their car in on a Tesla. The promotion requires a gas or hybrid electric vehicle to be turned in for any of the vehicles in Tesla’s lineup.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla is targeting gas car owners with a crazy new promotion launched on October 31, its latest move to boost sales amidst the loss of the $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit, which went away on September 30.

Tesla is now offering 2,000 free Supercharging miles to any gas car owner who chooses to trade their car in on a Tesla. The promotion requires a gas or hybrid electric vehicle to be turned in for any of the vehicles in Tesla’s lineup.

If you do that, you get 2,000 free miles of Supercharging, which can be utilized at any of the chargers on the Tesla network within the next two years:

Supercharging is rarely a Tesla owner’s primary source of charging, but for some owners, it is critical to their ownership experience.

While many homeowners or apartment dwellers are able to utilize charging infrastructure they either installed themselves or were provided by their property management company, others are totally reliant on the wide variety of charging options that are available today.

Tesla’s Supercharging Network has expanded rapidly over the past few years, mostly in preparation for the company to open it to other EV manufacturers, most of which have adopted the company’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) in the United States.

Its latest quarterly earnings Shareholder Deck revealed a 16 percent increase in stations in Q3 compared to the same timeframe in 2024. Meanwhile, connectors have increased by 18 percent in the same timeframe. There are over 73,800 connectors in the Tesla Supercharger Network globally.

The move could be looked at as a way to incentivize people to switch to electric vehicles, and it is something we have seen Tesla experiment with over the past month.

It has played with leasing terms, and we will likely see more incentive offers, like this Supercharging one or even Full Self-Driving trials for those who choose to make the switch over the next two months.

Tesla routinely offers some tasty deals in Q4 as it aims to round out the year with a strong delivery and production report for investors. Q4 is statistically Tesla’s strongest three-month period in any given year. However, Q3 was Tesla’s strongest performance in terms of vehicle deliveries in company history, as it narrowly missed the elusive 500,000 mark for a quarter.

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