Five electric off-road SUVs to watch out for

There’s no two ways about it, electric vehicles – battery or fuel-cell – are coming and will one day become the industry norm.

Manufacturers big and small have been showing off the potential performance capabilities of EVs for years now, but few have applied the technology in an off-roading context.

That is, until the past 12-18 months…

In theory, electric off-roaders could be more capable than traditional combustion-engined 4x4s when you combine key factors such as the monstrous amounts of stress-free torque and lower centre of gravity.

With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of five of our favourite zero-emissions 4x4 off-road wagons going into production within the next five years.

And you can rightly expect some, if not all of them, to arrive Down Under.

Hummer disappeared off the global radar in 2010 when the brand was no longer deemed viable by General Motors.

But now the fabled off-roading brand is back under the GMC banner rather than as its own entity.

To be sold as both an SUV and a pick-up, the revived Hummer EV is perhaps the most highly anticipated and eagerly awaited electric off-roader of the past decade, primarily because of its formidable power and performance figures.

General Motors “estimates” the SUV will pack up to 619kW of power and 15,592Nm of torque, resulting in a 0-60mph (97km/h) time of 3.5 seconds.

The torque figure is a little misleading (believed to be measured at the wheels) and isn’t helped by the fact that GM has so far refused to divulge further details or clarify the specifications. Compared against other EVs, we’d expect those 15,592 Newtons to be more like 1100Nm – which is still mighty impressive.

More than simply the sum of its engine performance, the Hummer boasts between 305mm and 407mm of ground clearance thanks to its height-adjustable suspension, comes as standard with 35-inch tyres and will even be able to ‘CrabWalk’ diagonally at low speeds thanks to its active all-wheel steering system.

The Mercedes-Benz G-Class has the longest off-road history of any model mentioned in this list, beating even the Jeep Wrangler (more below) in terms of seniority and yet its only into its second generation.

Mercedes-Benz has wasted no time in outlining its electric future, promising all of its new architectures will be electric-only as of 2025, with an electric G-Class due in 2024.

It’s clearly not mucking about either, with a pair of patent applications for two specific variants – EQG 560 and EQG 580 – already being submitted in Australia and abroad.

Few details have been confirmed thus far, however the world was recently given a great look at where Benz in headed courtesy of the Concept EQG unveiled at the 2021 Munich motor show.

That’s where Mercedes-Benz declared the “4x4 qualities of the ‘G’ … will not only find their way into the age of electric mobility, but will be developed even further in some areas”.

Mercedes has already confirmed the EQG will feature an electric motor in every corner, each driving an individual wheel and will more than likely ditch the traditional ladder-frame chassis.

Jeep has a wide variety of EVs on the way, all of which will offer serious off-road capabilities, but its iconic Jeep Wrangler will be the pin-up model when it comes to hard-core electrification.

This was made abundantly clear earlier this year when the Jeep Wrangler Magneto emerged ahead of the Moab Jeep Safari in Utah.

Identified by some not-so-subtle blue body highlights and its full-width lighting signature, the Magneto is based on the two-door Wrangler Rubicon and swaps out the familiar Pentastar V6 petrol engine in favour of a single electric motor.

Whereas most EVs use a single-speed reduction gear to send power to the driving axle/s, the Magneto features a traditional six-speed manual transmission and a low-range transfer case.

The custom-built axial flux electric motor is sustained by four separate batteries amounting to around 70kWh combined capacity, each of which are housed in waterproof compartments to maintain the Wrangler Rubicon’s water fording capabilities.

The Magneto rolls on 35-inch Falken mud-terrain tyres and includes as standard-fit an integrated front winch, two-inch lift kit, rock rails and steel underbody protection.

And proving the Magneto wasn’t a mere flight of fancy, Jeep soon followed up with a separate five-door concept Wrangler EV concept and declared that “by 2025 we’ll be offering a zero-emission, fully electric Jeep 4xe in every single SUV segment”.

The only vehicle here that’s already in production, the Rivian R1S is an electric SUV offering up a lofty 379mm of ground clearance as standard and capable of wading through more than 910mm of water.

With four electric motors fitted as standard, Rivian says the R1S can tow almost 3500kg (braked), climb a 100 per cent (45-degree) gradient and go from 0-97km/h in as little as three seconds depending on the battery size and wheel combination.

Eleven cameras, five radars and 12 ultrasonic sensors help deliver a virtual 360-degree field of view around the car and run the various active safety and semi-autonomous driving systems.

With right-hand drive development vehicles testing in Australia and New Zealand, and strong assurances from the company that Rivian models will be launched Down Under, it’s only question of when, not if, the R1S (and the R1T ute) gets here.

We’re tipping 2024 at this stage.

With its classic Land Rover Defender looks, BMW-sourced powertrains and sub-$90,000 price tag, the 2022 INEOS Grenadier has garnered a lot of attention recently. But the story doesn’t end with just diesel and petrol power.

Thanks to a partnership with Hyundai, INEOS is currently developing a hydrogen fuel-cell electric powertrain (FCEV) for its rugged 4x4 off-roader, with testing to begin next year.

While way too early to speculate on price, power or performance, the drivetrain in question will be an uprated version of the one currently used in the Hyundai NEXO, which recently covered almost 900km on public roads before needing to refuel.

The internal-combustion Grenadiers are currently undergoing extreme weather and environment testing in Australia before heading across the Tasman to New Zealand next year to be subjected to the extreme cold.