The Mercedes-Benz G580 is an impressive vehicle: it boasts a 116kWh ! battery with a maximum DC charging speed of 200kW and is equipped with a 432kW powertrain delivering 1 164Nm of torque. It can accelerate from 0-100km/h in just 4.7s, but for the privilege of owning this spec, the EQG has an eye-watering price tag of R4.6-million.
To put the EQG's charging capabilities to the test, we visited the Zero Carbon Charge station now known as Charge.co.za near Wolmaransstad on the N12 past Klerksdorp. This is the first of 60 off-grid, dedicated EV charging stations that Zero Carbon Charge intends to roll out in South Africa over the next 18 months. This first station features three Magic Power DC charge units, each equipped with two charging guns: one capable of delivering 500A and the other 200A.
For EVs with a 400V electric architecture, this setup allows for a maximum charging speed of 200kW. Newer EVs featuring 800V architectures could theoretically charge at 400kW, though actual speeds will likely be constrained by the charging station or the vehicles acceptance limits.
Our primary objective was to determine whether the Mercedes EQG could reach its full 200kW charging potential and sustain that speed throughout the charge cycle. Having already driven 313km from Pretoria, we arrived at the station on the morning of Sunday, 2 March with the EQG displaying a charge level of 14, equating to a remaining 57km range. No range anxiety here.
Over the next 15 minutes, the DC charging speed gradually decreased from 148kW to 110kW, eventually dropping to 50kW once the charge level hit 80. By this point, 77kWh around 260km of range had been added to the battery. Having set the target charge level in the vehicle to 90, the overall duration took 45 minutes, transferring a total of 92kWh - providing an estimated 390km of range in the EQG's Eco mode.