Could these electric SUVs signal the path forward for off-roaders? We have a quiet day out to answer that question.
The SUV duo featured might appear familiar, but they aren’t quite what you think they are. And that’s because these ones are all-electric. The Harrier EV is here in top-spec dual motor form and is a big deal because it’s Dad first 4×4 in years, while the G 580 is an electrified Mercedes G-Class with more than a few tricks up its wheel arches. Before you scream blue murder, know that this is not a comparison. The two SUVs are built to very different philosophies and, ahem, there’s a few crores between them in price.
All we’re interested in seeing is how different the off-road experience is with electrics. The strong motors, instant torque and super precise metering of power should count for a lot in the rough.
Tata Harrier EV off road test
It’s into the Tata first. The Harrier EV is built on a monocoque chassis, the sort of template we’ll see more of in the electric SUV space. Don’t read too much into Tata’s ‘Quad Wheel Drive’ branding that suggests motors at each wheel, though. Power comes from twin motors (one at each axle) that make a combined 313hp. A pre-flight check reveals an unexpected omission – there’s no rear tow hook! Better be careful.
Harrier EV has the tech and power but ground clearance limits it.
As is SOP, the tyres are aired down to 18 PSI for a broader footprint, but it feels like we’ve literally started on the wrong foot. The Harrier EV’s 192mm (estimated) unladen ground clearance isn’t exceptional, and dropping tyre pressures reduces the gap to the ground further. On call are off-road modes that tweak throttle response, ESP and power delivery. Mud/Ruts is the default for much of the day, with Rock called into action when the going gets, well, rocky. I can’t feel the tech at work, but the camera crew outside reports seeing the Harrier EV switch power between the front and rear wheels on the slushy path to the obstacles.
Obstacle one is the dreaded side slope. The Harrier EV tiptoes through eerily silently, but the sharp uphill exit on the right proves tricky. I get my line wrong on the first attempt and, with no telltale loud revs of an engine to tell me I’m botching it (you just hear a few clicks from the electronics), it’s the eventual lack of progress that makes me back off. Attempt two is better. A bit of left–right steering shuffle to help the front tyres claw in, and the Harrier EV pulls through. Particularly impressive because the Harrier EV rides on HT tyres.
360-deg cameras with under-bonnet view a huge help.
Obstacle two is about articulation, and here the Tata feels out of its comfort zone. The side step (positioned cleverly to hide the underfloor position of the battery) scrapes on entry, and the underside slams the ground on the axle twister hard enough to make me wince. The battery is well protected, but hearing thuds on an EV is never nice. The final pit is vicious, testing approach angles to the limit. The bumper lip does graze, though nothing breaks. I’m not entirely comfortable with the power delivery either. There’s a slight pause before power arrives, making modulation a bit tricky in this obstacle where precise inputs are critical.
The course gets trickier with obstacle three that starts with a descent on a rutted path. An unexpected find during prep is that there’s no proper hill descent control, only an Off-Road Assist function that behaves like a low-speed cruise control. Trouble is, the lowest setting is 6kph, and on a steep slope in a 2.3-tonne SUV, that feels far too brisk. The Harrier does touch the surface below, but the tyres remain the main contact points. It helps that there’s nothing on the flat underbody to snag. The climb up and out of the obstacle is the real test — a steep, mossy rock face.
Rock mode in action. The Tata held on gamely on the tricky climb.
Rock mode engaged, under-bonnet camera on, I ease forward. With the view filled entirely by sky, the camera feed proves a huge help. The Harrier claws up gamely, needing just a little side-to-side steering at the top to keep momentum alive. I don’t need to resort to Boost mode for the extra shove, and that says plenty about the Harrier EV’s climbing ability.
We don’t get to check the claimed 600mm wading depth, but I doubt typical buyers would put that figure to full use either. What the trail does establish is that the Harrier EV will take you where no ICE Harrier can hope to go, rain or shine. And that’s a job well done.
Mercedes Benz G Class Electric off road test
No trio of lockable diffs here, but the G 580 does offer low range.
At first glance, you wouldn’t see the G 580 as an EV. Where most electric SUVs obsess over drag coefficients and slippery silhouettes, the G-Class is as boxy, upright and unapologetic as ever. Clambering in is still a step-up job, even with its tyres aired down. But it’s under the skin where things get properly interesting.
The G 580 sits on a ladder frame, like a proper G should, but tucked within is a 116kWh battery with a carbon composite armour plating for the underbelly. Then there are four motors (a legit QWD, so to speak) – one at each wheel – good for a combined 587hp and a staggering 1,164Nm. Each motor can act independently – and together – with a clever two-speed gearbox for a low-range effect; the system is as hardcore as it is high-tech.
Lower centre of gravity helps G 580 feel more settled than ICE G.
The obstacles tell the story. The side slope? A non-event. Where most SUVs tread nervously, the G just leans in, strolls across, and saunters out the exit with casual disdain. The articulation course barely ruffles it either. With 250mm of ground clearance and proper approach, departure and breakover angles, there isn’t a scrape, graze or hint of drama. The slow tai chi of weight transfer is also smoother and more reassuring than I remember on the G 400d diesel. Credit the lower centre of gravity from the heavy battery pack.
On the third obstacle, I switch to Trail mode and engage low range. The crawl down is textbook. With electric motors controlling each wheel (you can drop speed to 2kph), the slow-motion descent is super smooth. The climb up? Just as effortless. Gentle throttle, no theatrics, and the 3-tonne G 580 walks it. It’s the easiest off-roading I’ve ever done. Period.
3-tonne G 580 makes light work of obstacles.
But nature has its way of humbling even the mighty. On the final challenge – a steep, slushy incline that’s beaten everything we’ve brought here in years past – the G 580 makes promising progress (it can climb at a 45-degree angle) before its HT tyres gave up the fight. They spin, dig in, and eventually leave us with a slow puncture. Game over for the day.
It’s a shame, because we were yet to get to the G 580’s party tricks. 850mm of water wading, G-Steering (it brakes the inner wheel and speeds up the outer wheel to tighten the turning radius) and the Instagram-hit G-Turn – a full 360-degree pirouette on the spot – would have to wait for some other day.
Can EVs be the future of off roaders?
Electrification equals ability. The Tata’s decidedly the soft-roader here, but it has established that it has the smarts and power to take you beyond just mild dirt trails. The G 580? It’s arguably the most capable G-Class, and that’s saying a lot. It’s incredibly satisfying to know the G will live on in this shape and form. The politically correct world of EVs needs a mad ladder frame off-roader to keep the balance.
There is the matter of range, however. EVs hate going against gravity, and heavy EVs doubly so. The Harrier dropped 11 percent charge over 7km of the trail, while the G 580 lost 7 percent over 6km. That makes deep wilderness exploration a challenge. In an ICE SUV, a jerry can is always a backup. With EVs, there’s only so far you’d venture. At least, as things stand.
The powertrain’s silence takes some getting used to.
On a broader level, off-roading in an EV is simply not as immersive an experience as it is in a petrol or diesel vehicle. The lack of engine noise is one part of the reason why. Sure, the silence makes you feel at one with the surroundings, but it also makes you feel somewhat disconnected from your vehicle.
Not helping this feeling are the electronic aids that are ironically there to help you in the rough. The EVs have the brain and brawn to keep you forging ahead, but in the process, whitewash some of the challenges that make off-roading exciting. You feel like a hero without necessarily having the skills. It’s a bit hollow, if I can be honest.
EVs, then, can take over the urban jungle. For the real one, an ICE off-roader will do just fine, thank you very much.
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