Mercedes-Benz will reportedly soon show an experimental G-Class EV

Mercedes-Benz will illustrate how it plans to add the G-Class to its growing portfolio of electric cars at the upcoming Munich auto show, according to a recent report. It will allegedly unveil a close-to-production concept named EQG.

Without citing sources, German enthusiast site MB Passion wrote the EQG will break cover as an experimental design study that will be closely related to the gasoline-powered G-Class (pictured) currently in showrooms. It's reasonable to assume that at least a handful of powertrain-specific styling cues will differentiate the two models; the difference between the EQB and the GLB it's based on could hint at what to expect from the bigger, boxier EV.

The publication adds that the Geländewagen will not lose an ounce of its famed off-road prowess as it transitions to an electric car. It will offer locking differentials and a transfer case, uncommon features in the EV cosmos. Power will reportedly come from two electric motors (one per axle) that will draw electricity from a 108-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack to zap the four wheels with about 500 horsepower. The target driving range is about 310 miles.

As is often the case, the EQG will be a concept in name only. Insiders claim it will reach showrooms by 2023.

Mercedes-Benz hasn't commented on the report, and it hasn't detailed its line-up for the Munich auto show, though it announced plans to make the G-Class electric in 2019 and said the model is "a few years away" in 2020. If the rumor is accurate, additional information about the EQG concept will emerge over the next few weeks.

The EQG is not the only G-Class off-shoot that Mercedes-Benz has in the pipeline. Spy shots taken in late 2020 strongly suggest the no-holds-barred G-Class 4x4 Squared will make a triumphant comeback in the near future. Like its predecessor, it will boast over a foot of ground clearance thanks in part to portal axles and massive wheels.