Baby Mercedes-Benz G-Class Hopes to Make Electric Power Fashionable

The original Mercedes-Benz G-Class is a timeless icon that continues to attract buyers, so it’s no wonder that the German automaker expected to build on its success by expanding the range with an all-electric variant. Unfortunately, that hasn’t worked out well, but Mercedes sees another potentially profitable avenue of expansion with the crossover in these new spy shots, known as the “Little G.” Very little in the way of official information has been provided by Affalterbach, but these spy shots confirm that the mini G-Class is set to be powered by batteries. Will it be exclusively so? That remains to be seen, but perhaps a smaller, rugged-looking electric soft-roader will be more attractive to buyers.

Mercedes-Benz’s Little G Takes Shape

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The baby G-Class won’t simply be a scaled-down G-Wagen, but it will be built on a miniature ladder-frame chassis to preserve the character of the original. Similar suspension and wheels will be fitted, too, but other than that, nearly every part of the compact G will be custom, including the upper body panels and even the door handles. These spy shots seem to confirm these reports; while the overall silhouette is similar to that of the original, the miniature G-Class looks almost like a Chinese knock-off in these spy shots, and the blanked-off front end of the EV exacerbates the effect.

Of course, when the camouflage comes off, we expect the baby G to look a lot more premium, but for now, its smaller proportions and overall softer looks have more than a hint of Kia Soul about them. At the rear, at least, the tailgate-mounted spare tire carrier (if it’s not a charging cable store as in the midsize G-Class EV) and the rectangular taillights are more typical of the original. Of course, if Mercedes wants to make the smaller G more aggressive, there is a solution…

Could the Baby G Get a Real Engine?

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A miniature G-Class has been rumored for many years, and when Mercedes indicated a 2026 release date back in 2023, the appetite for EVs seemed stronger than it does today. Hence, it’s entirely plausible that poor sales of the midsize G-Class EV, combined with shifting regulations, could encourage Mercedes to consider reengineering the miniature G with combustion power. In the past couple of years, Mercedes has begun moving away from its poorly received 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid setup, as found in the C63, with straight-six engines and even new V8 power plants being planned and introduced. V8 power, classic styling, and a smaller footprint could be one potent combination, but until we spy a baby G with its front end agape, we’ll have to assume that Mercedes is sticking with electric power.