A Tough and Rough and Heavy EV - Mercedes Benz E-Wagen - Video

The Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen isn't exactly the greenest car in the world.

In fact, since the departure of Hummer, a G-Wagen in AMG trim is probably one of the most gas-guzzling, polluting vehicles you can buy.

The G-Electric, as the name suggests, is rather different.

The exterior looks familiar, but the drivetrain is anything but. In fact, the whole car is quite unique--the company, e-Traction, claims it's the heaviest passenger electric vehicle around. We're not sure that's something to celebrate, but the engineering is interesting.

The G-Electric is powered by two electric in-wheel motors. Each puts out a staggering 1,844 pounds-feet of torque, for a combined 3,688 pounds-feet. That's comfortably the highest pulling power of any EV on sale--and certainly makes up for the weight penalty.

Thanks to the high chassis, 25 kilowatt-hours of lithium-ion battery pack is stored under the passenger compartment.

That leaves the space under the hood completely empty--ready for experimental hydrogen fuel cell stacks, more batteries, or a generator, says e-Traction.

The interior is luxuriously-appointed, just as in production G-Wagens--but a digital display takes the place of the instruments, relaying information on the drivetrain.

The G-Electric has been designed as a research vehicle for the Dutch Ministry of Defense, and interested G-spotters can find it whirring silently around the Dutch town of Apeldoorn.





Source: Green Car Reports