What Happens When Santa Goes Electric

Road Test: 2025 Mercedes-Benz G 580 SUV with EQ Technology

There are few places quieter than the North Pole at dawn. Snow absorbs sound. The horizon glows blue. And standing there, idling without a whisper, is something that feels both wildly modern and strangely inevitable: the 2025 Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ Technology. Boxy. Imposing. Timeless. And for the first time in its long, militaristic life, entirely electric.

If Santa were shopping for a new sleigh in 2025, this would be it.

The traditional setup; reindeer, runners, bells, has served admirably for centuries. But logistics have changed. Urban density is up. Emissions scrutiny is real. And when you’re responsible for a single-night, planet-wide delivery schedule, instant torque matters more than tradition. The G 580 doesn’t just modernize the sleigh concept, it electrifies it.

Silent Night, Indeed

Press the start button and nothing happens. Or rather, nothing sounds like it happens. Four permanently excited synchronous electric motors, one at each wheel, wake silently, ready to deliver power without drama. That absence of noise feels oddly appropriate. After all, stealth has always been part of Santa’s magic.

Step off from a snow-covered standstill and the G 580 moves with a calm inevitability that borders on supernatural. There’s no gear hunting, no delay, no engine flare, just immediate, controlled momentum. Mercedes quotes 579 horsepower and a staggering 859 pound-feet of torque, enough to hustle this squared-off icon to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds. That may not sound like sleigh numbers, but when your cargo includes a global supply of gifts, stability and traction matter more than theatrics.

And traction, the G 580 has in abundance.

All-Wheel Drive, Taken Literally

Unlike conventional AWD systems, the G 580’s four-motor layout allows each wheel to be controlled independently. On snow, ice, or frozen gravel, that precision is transformative. You can feel the system working beneath you, distributing torque exactly where it’s needed, when it’s needed. It’s less about conquering terrain and more about negotiating it intelligently.

This is still very much a G-Class; upright seating, commanding sightlines, and that unmistakable sense of indestructibility, but the electric drivetrain changes its character. The vehicle feels calmer, more deliberate. Where past G-Wagens felt like blunt instruments, the G 580 feels measured. Thoughtful. Almost… considerate.

If Santa ever worried about waking the neighbourhood, those concerns are officially gone.

Sleigh Bells, Meet Screens

Inside, the G 580 blends old-school toughness with unmistakable modern luxury. The cabin is a warm refuge from the cold outside, wrapped in rich leathers, carbon fibre trim, and subtle blue accents that feel perfectly on theme for a vehicle born of electricity and ice.

The upright dashboard houses expansive digital displays that would make managing global gift logistics far easier than parchment and quill. Navigation, vehicle data, and camera views are crisp and intuitive. Ambient lighting glows softly, bathing the cabin in a gentle hue that feels more North Pole workshop than off-road brute.

The seats are deeply comfortable; important when you’re on the longest overnight shift imaginable, and the elevated driving position reinforces the sense that you’re piloting something significant. This isn’t a vehicle you sit in so much as one you sit at, surveying the world ahead.

Cold Weather? No Problem.

Electric vehicles and winter driving often raise eyebrows, but the G 580 feels engineered with cold climates firmly in mind. Battery management is sophisticated, torque delivery is instantaneous, and the weight of the vehicle actually aids stability on slippery surfaces. Where lighter vehicles skate, the G plants itself.

Even braking feels confident, with strong, predictable response and regenerative systems tuned to avoid unsettling the chassis on slick surfaces. It’s reassuring, confidence-inspiring and exactly what you’d want when conditions are less than ideal.

A G-Class, Reimagined

What’s most surprising about the G 580 isn’t that it’s electric, it’s how naturally electricity suits it. The G-Class has always been about capability, durability, and presence. Removing the engine noise doesn’t diminish those qualities; it sharpens them.

There’s a sense that this is how the G has always wanted to move: quietly, decisively, without fuss.

Of course, it’s wildly expensive, unapologetically extravagant, and entirely excessive for most real-world use cases. But then again, so is a flying sleigh pulled by reindeer. Icons aren’t built on practicality alone, they’re built on imagination.

Final Verdict

If Santa were rewriting the rules in 2025, the Mercedes-Benz G 580 would be a compelling choice. It’s silent, powerful, supremely capable in snow, and loaded with technology that feels more magical than mechanical. It respects tradition while embracing progress, proving that even legends can evolve.

No bells. No hooves. Just four electric motors, a trail of fresh tracks in the snow, and one very modern sleigh disappearing quietly into the night.

Quick Specs: 2025 Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ Technology
Price As Tested: $247,200 CAD
Powertrain: Four permanently excited synchronous electric motors (one per wheel)
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Total Output: 579 horsepower
Total Torque: 859 pound-feet of torque
0–100 km/h: 4.7 seconds
Top Speed: 180 km/h
Drivetrain: Fully variable all-wheel drive with individual wheel torque control
Estimated Energy Consumption (L/100 km equivalent): Combined: 3.8
Competition: Cadillac Escalade IQ, Volvo EX90
Website: Mercedes Benz Canada

Santa Fun Fact: 
If Santa switched to an electric sleigh tomorrow, the G 580 would be uniquely qualified. With four independently controlled motors, instant torque delivery, and near-silent operation, it offers something even reindeer can’t: precise traction on ice, no rooftop noise, and zero tailpipe emissions, making it the ultimate upgrade for the world’s most demanding overnight delivery route.