Fresh from our spy photographers in the north come images of not one, or two, but three Mercedes-Benz EQG test vehicles. One still wears the body-hugging, electric-themed wrap we’ve seen before. The others, however, look more like standard G-Class prototypes with swirl camouflage on everything but the doors. They are of particular interest here, because our photographer was able to get a good look underneath one at its all-electric powertrain.
It’s strange to not see an exhaust system at the back or engine components at the front, but that’s exactly what we have here. Massive shocks are impossible to miss, but identifying other items is tougher. At the front, we can spot control arms and what we think is an electronic power steering rack. Skid plates are easy to see, but we also see what looks like a front differential in the middle. We see another differential at the back, along with a big sway bar. The ladder frame is also visible, ensuring the EQG will carry on the rugged ways of the G-Class.
The two differentials are interesting, because we know the EQG will offer a quad-motor setup with one for each wheel. That is confirmed, and these could be the housings for the motors. However, the rear housing looks a bit small for two. Could this be an as-yet unknown EQG trim level with a tri-motor layout?
In addition to its undercarriage, this prototype also appears to have a different grille. It’s hidden by a mesh camouflage cover, and we can also see slight differences in the front and rear bumpers. They appear a bit thicker overall versus the ones on blue-wrapped prototypes. It’s also worth noting that the rear fenders with the mysterious vents in them are gone. Whether all of these changes signify a different trim level or are simply deceptive forms of disguise remains to be seen.
And it will likely stay that way for at least the next few months. We know the EQG won’t stray too far from the concept version that debuted in 2021, but a production EQG isn’t likely to debut until the end of this year as a 2024 model.
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