Mercedes-Benz is offering a $10,000 incentive to encourage buyers to purchase its electric G-Class, the G580, in an attempt to revive flagging sales. While the discount is a step up from the previous $5,000 cap, the move comes as the electric version of the G-Class has struggled to gain traction in the market, despite its iconic heritage and hefty $164,550 starting price.
The G580, part of Mercedes’ electrification strategy, has yet to impress buyers, and reports from early 2025 pointed to a lackluster sales performance. The car was labeled a “flop” in Europe, with only 1,450 units sold by April 2025, and just 58 in China. Speculation about weak U.S. sales also abounded, though it was never officially confirmed.
The $10K Discount: Will It Be Enough?
The new $10,000 discount applies to both lease and outright purchases, but at a base price of $164,550, the discount represents just 6% off—potentially too small a decrease for the high-end buyers who typically gravitate toward the G-Class. Even with the incentive, many listings of the G580 are priced between $180,000 and $190,000, far above the base MSRP, making the discount less impactful.
Mercedes is betting that this price reduction will push hesitant buyers to act, but whether this will be enough to significantly boost sales is still unclear. The electric G-Class, now featuring EQ technology, aims to merge the brand’s luxury appeal with sustainability, but it seems that its traditional buyers are reluctant to embrace the electric model fully.
Sales Struggles and Market Response
Despite delivering a total of 49,700 G-Class vehicles globally in 2025, a 23% increase from the previous year, Mercedes did not disclose how many of those were electric versus combustion-powered. The electric G580 has been underperforming, especially in key markets like the U.S., where the SUV has reportedly failed to sell any units at all—although Mercedes has not confirmed these numbers.
The response to the G580’s underwhelming sales highlights the ongoing challenge for luxury automakers to shift traditional buyers to electric vehicles. While the incentive is a step in the right direction, the $10,000 discount may not be enough to attract buyers who are wary of such a high price point for an electric vehicle.
