The Mercedes-Benz G-Class EV will use silicon battery technology to increase energy density

The electric G-Class Mercedes will use new battery chemistry from US firm Sila, the automaker confirmed in a press release Tuesday.

Founded in 2011, Sila has developed an anode material with a high silicon content, which the company claims can increase energy density by 20-40% compared to modern lithium-ion batteries to more than 800 W / L at the cell level.

Increased energy density means that more energy can be stored in a given space, allowing you to increase the range without increasing the size of the battery.

Mercedes, which invested in Sila in 2019, plans to start using the company’s cells in the middle of the decade to expand the EV version of the G-Class. The companies claim that the cells will be manufactured at a plant in Washington State using 100% renewable energy.

Mercedes is the plant’s first publicly announced automotive customer and plans to expand the use of the new cells to other models after their G-Class debut.

The launch is scheduled for 2024the electric G-Class was a preview last year EQG concept. This concept had a ladder frame similar to the current G-Class, which housed the battery modules. Four electric motors – one on each wheel – provided power, while a 2-speed gearbox varied off-road.

The Mercedes-Benz EQG concept

At the unveiling of the concept, Mercedes said it plans to test serial versions on the 4,741-foot-high Sheckel Mountain in Graz, Austria, at the end of development to prove that the EV off-road has repulsed. The mountain has a 3.5-kilometer off-road course with a slope of up to 60 degrees.

Meanwhile, an updated version of the current G-Class is expected to appear soon. We have have already seen prototypes standard version, AMG G63 performance version, and high ride 4×4 squared version testing. The revised G-Class is expected to debut later this year as a 2023 model.