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Although Mercedes unveiled the Concept EQG in September 2021 at IAA Munich, the electric off-roader won’t go into production until 2024. We haven’t heard much about the ICE-less G since the showcar premiered in Germany, but the three-pointed star is now making an important announcement. The zero-emissions SUV will be the brand’s first production EV to use silicon anode chemicals in battery packs.
High density cell chemistry will not be standard on EQG as the technology will be offered at an additional cost for remote derivatives. Compared to existing battery packs, these newly developed cells promise a 20 to 40 percent increase in energy density, reaching over 800 Wh/l at the cellular level. Starting with the electric G-Class, silicon anode chemistry will increase the range of future EVs “by a significant amount” without causing packaging problems as the extra energy will be stored in the same space.
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While Mercedes will be selling the EQG in about two years from now, the remote version won’t be available at launch. The electric G-Class with silicon anode chemistry in the battery is expected to hit the market about a year later as the three-pointed star targets a 2025 launch. Therefore, the German luxury brand will be Sila’s first publicly announced automotive customer.
If the name doesn’t ring a bell, it’s a California-based company that specializes in developing next-generation lithium-ion battery materials. Mercedes made an investment in 2019 to step up its electric lineup and the G will lead the way for long-range EVs. Sila will manufacture silicon anode materials using fully renewable energy at its new facility in Washington.
If there’s one model in the Mercedes lineup that needs the best in battery technology, it’s the G-Class. Not only is it incredibly heavy, but aerodynamics isn’t its friend. The EQG will likely retain the ladder frame for off-road chops, and if that’s going to be what the concept looks like, expect four electric motors.
As we mentioned the investments made by luxury carmakers, Mercedes is already thinking ahead by teaming up with ProLogium to launch an EV with solid-state batteries “in the coming years.” This effort is part of the automaker’s goal of going purely electric by the end of the decade “wherever market conditions allow.”
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