Mercedes Benz G580: I wanted to hate it, but...

The battery-powered Mercedes G-Wagen is completely unsuitable for small parking spaces, for narrow city streets and because it's shaped like a brick, it doesn't have an amazing range per charge. In theory, this should be the perfect recipe for a terrible vehicle but it's just so much fun to drive, you quickly forget about its shortcomings. I mean, it's not a sensible purchase, nor is it affordable for the average kiwi, but that sense of sensibility quickly vanishes when you put your foot down on this quad-motor electric powerhouse. With 432 kW and 1164 Nm spread between four independently controlled electric motors, each with its own high/low ratio reduction box, the G580 is not only quick off the mark (despite it weighing 3085 kg!) but it's frighteningly good off-road. Add some brutalist design and an artificial engine noise that actually stirs what's left of my soul, plus running costs that rival a 50cc scooter, it makes this electric G-Wagen simply too enjoyable to dislike. But despite my gushing praise, it's not without its drawbacks, as I soon discovered... If you're keen on cutting your carbon footprint, come and join us at Ecotricity, which is now New Zealand's only climate positive electricity provider! That means by switching today, you're actually turning back the clock on Climate Change, while saving money in the process. Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, it's not! Ecotricity is real, with really affordable electricity, thanks to it being purely renewable. Head to www.ecotricity.co.nzand chuck in your address to see how much money & carbon you can save right now. It's that easy and it makes a real, positive difference for the next generation.