Is the electric G Sweden-proof? Extreme Testing with Ola Källenius.
Today is not just any day, today is G-Class Day. Thank you for the incredible feedback on our Schöckl video! To be honest, when I first got the request for this video, I was freaking out. I mean: my home country Sweden, frozen lakes, the electric G-Class,
And endless terrain to explore. What else can you wish for? You already saw that the Electric G is a real G. But we want to make this car Sweden-proof. And I bet you can guess who the perfect person is to test this. Tell us, where are we? So, we are up in Arjeplog.
This is in northern Sweden and look at this frozen lake. This is the Mercedes test ground, where we test all our vehicles, make them safe, make them proof on slippery surfaces. Today, you are in for a real treat. Wow! We are going to take this car: the icon, the legend, the G.
And for the first time as an electric G around this test track. I am excited! Let us do it. Yes. A few things come to mind which can be tested here extensively. But why are these tests under extreme conditions so important? We test our vehicles for millions of kilometres.
We go into the desert – above 50 degrees, it is scorching hot. We go here, minus 30. Vehicles like this have to survive in all temperatures. And of course, the G is the ultimate offroader. It is the original since 1979. You can go anywhere in the world with this vehicle.
But I have to show you one feature. Next to the unbelievable off-road performance, this is what true G fans are looking for. Listen to this closing sound. It is like a bank vault. Yes. Every real G fan knows that the G-Class sound
Is not from the engine, but from the trunk and the doors. -It is. -Great to hear! Oh, it is already warm in here. Nice! Yes, this Electric G heats up very quickly. And it does not affect range that much. That is good. So, what do we do first?
I have prepared a set of challenges. Okay. That we want you to overcome. We have a slalom, including a G-TURN on ice. Okay. Then we have a drift. That is fun. Yes. And also an acceleration from 0 to 100 on ice. Okay. Yeah, this car can do anything.
But we also wanted you to answer some questions during the challenge. At the same time? You know, men can only handle one task at a time. I know you can do it. You are Swedish, but you have lived in Germany for many years. Do you miss Sweden?
I do miss Sweden as much as I love Germany. Your home is your home. But I get to come here at least two or three times a year. I enjoy Sweden as often as I can. Are you ready for this? Okay, yes. Slalom! There we go! Okay, we got good speed here.
Yes, we do! The car is handling beautifully. Oh, do not hit that last cone. No, that was good. Okay. Want to try the G-TURN now? Yes, please! Okay. The magic button. Yes, the magic button here. Are you ready? Yes, I am ready. Okay, let us do this. How easy was that?
That was good. I think I passed that first one, right? You did. Check! Okay. Now we come to the drift. Yes. You have held various positions within the company, which have taken you to Arjeplog more than once. What memories do you associate with this test site?
I have particularly great memories from my time at AMG, actually. Okay. We, of course, test our performance sports cars up here as well. I have done this track with the legendary SLS with the gullwing doors. But I have also been here together with customers at the AMG Lodge.
You can book a weekend here and do performance driving on ice. Here, it is as slippery as it gets. And then you increase the speed… You increase the speed… Don’t worry! I got this. Yes, you look very calm and collected. We are going faster and faster. We are approaching 100 km/h,
Which I would not recommend on public roads in this condition. But it is just to show what the car can do. You see every time when it just slightly loses grip? Yes, just a little. How the electronic stability program picks it up again? Yes. Wow!
And here we are. I am provoking it now. I am trying to get it to drift. We are now well above 100 km/h. And as you said, no sweaty palms. The G is for sure a special car. What would you say makes it special?
Well, since the inception of the G, the iconic shape, but it stands for the ultimate off-road experience. It screams adventure. It is a car that can take you anywhere in the world. It is freedom. So, what is new with the 2024 G-Class? We have done a lot of updates on this new G-Class.
Not just for the electric one, but for the whole line-up. We worked on aerodynamics and also aeroacoustics. Even though it is a very boxy shape – this legendary boxy shape, if you drive fast, it would create wind noise. But with subtle, small changes, now the car is really quiet.
Also the infotainment is completely new. For so many people nowadays, infotainment is a major purchasing decision. It is a refresh all around, really. -So, last challenge? -Yes. Zero to hundred. Zero to hundred. Buckle up! Are you ready? I am ready and I am watching. Okay, let us do it. I am flooring it.
There we are. Only a few seconds. And this is on ice! Amazing! We are not even on dry tarmac here, where it would be much quicker. That was amazing! That was like just a few seconds. Yes. Crazy good! Crazy good! What is your favourite Electric G feature?
Well, there is so much to love about this car. But on this Electric G, I have to say it, it is the G-TURN. It is amazing. I agree. That was fun! Check it out. A little bit of a drift. You love this, huh? I think we could continue all day with this. Please!
As much as I would like to continue driving this fantastic Electric G all day, I have to check out other things while I am up here. The next generation CLA, all electric, that is also testing here on the lakes.
But I got an expert for you that can explain all the features of this car, so you are going to be in good hands and enjoy the rest of the day. Sounds good. I have to say, it was so much fun and it was a great honour to do this with you.
Loved it! -Thank you so much! -Thank you. Hejdå! Hejdå! What an exciting start to the day! Seeing the Electric G in action, mastering these challenging conditions, experiencing an icon of a car together with Ola and him at the wheel. I think someone has to pinch me!
Let us see what else this day has in store for us. Hi! Hi! You must be the expert Ola mentioned. Yes, I am Anne. I am responsible for the development of all G-Class systems and components. Impressive! We were doing a few challenges
And the car was not drifting that well, even on ice. Why is that? Well, it is all about controlling the wheels. The electric G-Class has four e-motors, two at the front axle and two at the rear axle. That means we not only have the brakes to control the vehicle on ice,
We also can use recuperation on every single wheel. That makes it so stable. Ola also mentioned that lots of work was put into the aerodynamics and the car’s sound of silence. Oh, yes. We really worked hard on it. We put lots of little things on the underfloor,
But we also changed the A-pillar and something on the roof, especially for drivetrain efficiency. I also brought some questions from the community. One of those was: How are the ground clearance numbers? The ground clearance of the electric G-Class is about 250 millimetres. That is similar to the G-Class with the combustion engine.
To experience that, it would be good to go up to that hill there and have a ride. Okay, let’s go! This drive is so beautiful. Amazing! Okay, we have some more questions from the community. Is the Electric G a real offroader? What are the angles of approach and inclination?
Of course, it is a real offroader. The angle of approach is 32 degrees and the inclination 35 degrees. The G stands for “Gelände”, which means off-road. What makes the Electric G special for you? Well, the G stays the G and that is the most important thing for me. Yes, it is really amazing.
My God, the light! That was a nice drive. “Dankeschön!” It was a pleasure. What an amazing day! What do you think about the Electric G? Drop us a comment with your thoughts, your questions or your favourite features. Mine is definitely the G-TURN.
I hope you guys had as much fun as I had today. Do not forget to like this video, subscribe to the channel and hit the bell icon for notifications. Subscribe to the Mercedes-Benz channel. If you have not seen our trip to Graz or want to see more of the Electric G,
Click here or here.
From the sweltering desert to the icy north, the G-Class is required to withstand any temperature and terrain.
In this video, host Marie Serneholt and Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius take the electric G-Class to a Mercedes-Benz test ground close to the Arctic Circle in their home country of Sweden.
Together with expert Anne Knierim, they put the vehicle through its paces under extreme winter conditions. Is the electric G Sweden-proof? Join us to find out.
Subscribe to the channel so you get notified for new exciting videos here: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=MercedesBenzTV
► Experience the world of Mercedes-Benz: http://benz.me/international
► More interesting playlists:
• https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEFD42CB1063ADFBD
• https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0ORtgsuktfnbgrXWg0_-MfmFHGl435_B
• https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0ORtgsuktfnzmEE-9GlLnfMplo4fmcTH
► Mercedes-Benz on Social Media:
https://facebook.com/MercedesBenz
Tweets by MercedesBenz
https://instagram.com/mercedesbenz
https://www.linkedin.com/company/mercedes-benz_ag/
@mercedesbenz
#MercedesBenz #GClass
