For those who prefer to grind gravel and bound over boulders while surrounded by luxurious napa leather — and can’t imagine emitting even a single molecule of carbon dioxide while doing so — the fully electric Mercedes G-Wagen is for you.
Technology
The Mercedes G-Wagen, the ultimate off-road status symbol, goes electric
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25413855/pre_media_24c0076_005.jpg?ssl=1 "The Mercedes G-Wagen, the ultimate off-road status symbol, goes electric")
The very expensive, boxy status symbol is now even status symbol-ier thanks to a 116 kWh battery and all-electric drive train, complete with four individually controlled motors with a maximum total output of 432 kW — or the equivalent of about 580 horsepower — and a max torque 1,164 Newton-meters.
“I recently joked that it’s like the Birkin bag of Mercedes,” Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius said on the Decoder podcast back in 2022. “Everybody wants one, and the waiting time is really long. It may even be the most desirable car in our portfolio.”
But with great power comes great expense. The Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ technology (an ungainly name for an exotic EV, but I’ll allow it) will start at €142,621.50 ($152,184.27), while the first edition trim goes for €192,524.15 ($205,432.89). That’s a premium over the gas models, which typically start at around $143,000. At launch, the Edition One trim will be exclusive to the US market and will arrive at dealerships in the second half of 2024.
The G 580, or EQG if you will, will be built on a ladder frame concept, which the automaker says is fundamental to its off-roading. Like its gas-powered equivalents, the ladder frame includes an independent front suspension with double wishbones, as well as a newly developed rigid rear axle for a lower center of gravity. The battery will propel the EQG to an estimated 473 km (293 miles) on the WLTP standard, which will likely be even lowered when based on the less optimistic EPA rating.
The electric G-Wagen will come with a whole caravan of nifty circus tricks, including a tank turn (which Mercedes has branded its G-Turn) for sharper, on-axis rotations. G-Turn will work on loose, unpaved roads and trails and only at low speeds. And a three-speed intelligent off-road crawl function will keep the electric SUV at the optimal speed while traveling over uneven surfaces. And Mercedes boasts that the EQG will remain stable on slopes up to 35 degrees and has a maximum fording depth of 850 millimeters (33 inches).
Of course, all that off-roading requires extra protection for the battery, which is stored in the floor of the vehicle for that low center of gravity. Every grain of gravel is a potential hazard when you’re driving around with a two-tiered lithium-ion battery with 216 cells installed in 12 cell modules between three cooling levels under your feet.
The underbody skid plate, which is unique to the electric G-Class, is made from “an intelligent material mix” that includes carbon, which “increases rigidity compared to alternatives made from steel or aluminum,” the company says. It also ensures long-lasting corrosion protection and saves weight. The plate is 26 millimeters thick, weighs 57.6 kilograms, and is attached to the ladder frame with more than 50 steel screws.
And in what is becoming an increasingly normal thing to do with new EVs, Mercedes has decided to give its electric G-Wagen a fake engine noise, branded here as G-Roar. Inspired by the gas lineup’s “emotional V8 sounds,” the G-Roar will use external speakers to emit a sound that simulates the “deep bass and sonorous tones” of its fuel-sipping sibling. The sounds can change when switching between drive modes: Comfort produces a more restrained fake engine noise, while Sport will hit you right in the feelings (Mercedes also describes it as “emotional”).
Even with an emphasis on off-roading over performance, the G 580 with EQ technology (nope, still ungainly, going back to EQG) is no slouch on the pavement. The electric SUV can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds and will be electronically limited to a maximum speed of 180 km/h (or 112 mph).
The exterior is nearly identical to the current model year of gas-fueled G-Wagens. You do get illuminated accents on the grille, which also can be replaced with an optional blacked-out front panel. The bonnet is slightly raised, and the rear wheel wells include air curtains for better aerodynamic performance. There’s also a new A-pillar cladding and a spoiler lip on the roof. But otherwise, it would be difficult to pick out the EV in an all-G-Class lineup.
A rear-mounted design box looks ideal for a spare tire, but open it up and — surprise! — it’s charging cables and other optional goodies, like snow chains. Of course, if you want to be a traditionalist, you can absolutely stow your spare tire in there. No judgment.
Inside, the electric G-Wagen is sticking to what works, keeping the passenger grab bar and surrounding everything with carbon fiber. There are plenty of physical buttons, and the air vents are delightfully tactile and circular. The pedals are covered in raised rivets because, you know, off-road. And the 12.3-inch digital display runs on Mercedes’ well-received MBUX infotainment system — but also supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Rear-seat passengers can enjoy a variety of media on their personal 11.6-inch touchscreens that are mounted on the back of the front seats. Content can be moved from the rear to the front display — but video watching and internet browsing are reserved for parked mode only.
The electric G-Wagen first emerged in concept form back in 2021 and then again in 2022, despite the company’s lack of clarity around production plans. (To compensate, Mercedes released a ridiculously high concept promotional video set in a 1970s-era space opera with aliens.)
But since then, there have been a lot of electric off-roaders, including the Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevy Silverado EV, Hummer EV, and Rivian R1T and R1S. Whether any of these vehicles actually spend a single second doing real off-road stuff — as opposed to picking up grass fertilizer at The Home Depot — is entirely up for debate. The electric G-Wagen will likely be no different, as the boxy SUV has always been seen more frequently in the driveways of the über rich than on the trails in Moab.
Still, the EQG is a sign that while it has pulled back some of its early predictions about electrification, Mercedes still understands that even its super luxury status symbols will need to go electric.
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Would you pay $20 a month for access to AI hardware you already own? That appears to be one of Meta’s next bets. This week, it quietly announced that your glasses’ Conversation Focus feature will soon be limited to three hours of use per month, unless you pay for a $19.99 Meta One Premium subscription.
In a help article, the company insists that it won’t require a subscription to use your glasses, period; it’s merely erecting a “rate limit” for certain AI features. Even premium subscribers will only get 15 hours of Conversation Focus per month under that “rate limit,” it claims.
Problem is, Meta’s rate limit is ridiculous. The Conversation Focus feature, which amplifies the voice of the person you’re speaking to so you can hear better in noisy environments, is not something that should plausibly be rate-limited, because it doesn’t use Meta’s servers. It runs on-device, using the chips inside the glasses that you’ve already purchased. I turned off my internet, and it kept working.
Here’s how the company introduced it last year: “[C]onversation focus uses your AI glasses’ open-ear speakers, beamforming technology, and real-time spatial processing to dynamically amplify the voice of the person you’re talking to.”
Not only does it avoid Meta’s servers, but Conversation Focus doesn’t technically require an internet connection at all. I double-checked by turning off my phone’s Wi-Fi and cellular, turning on Airplane Mode, and I was still able to use Conversation Focus just fine by tapping a button on my phone.
Does Meta have some secret licensing deal with another company that costs it money every time a person uses Conversation Focus? Failing that, the rate limit sounds utterly bogus.
We’ve asked if Meta can explain the move, and whether the company plans to put other on-device features behind a subscription. Meta didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
TRANSFORMATION: AI changes what robots can accomplish
Humanoid robots, showcased at Chicago’s Automate Show, demonstrate advancements in AI and robotics. Jeff Burnstein, President of the Association for Advancing Automation, explains AI’s role in enabling diverse tasks in hospitals, factories, and warehouses. He emphasizes that robotics boosts competitiveness, leading to job creation.
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A busy warehouse loading dock can be a grind. Trucks pull up. Packages pour in. Workers have to move fast, lift heavy boxes and keep everything flowing before the next trailer arrives. That part of the warehouse has always been one of the hardest places to automate. Every box can be a different size. Freight can shift in transit. Labels may face the wrong way. And when one system finishes a task, the next system still has to know what to do with the package.
Now, Ambi Robotics and Pickle Robot Company say they have linked their robotic systems to help solve that handoff problem. The companies announced a commercial integration that connects Pickle Robot’s trailer-unloading robots with Ambi Robotics’ AmbiStack pallet-building system. In other words, one robot system unloads mixed freight from a trailer. Then a conveyor moves those cases downstream so another robotic system can scan and stack them for warehouse receiving.
If this works well in large facilities, it points to a future where robots can handle more of the work that happens between a truck and a warehouse floor.
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Ambi Robotics and Pickle Robot Company have integrated their warehouse robotics systems to automate the flow of freight from trailers to pallets. The companies say the setup can fit into existing warehouse operations. (Ambi Robotics and Pickle Robot Company )
How warehouse robots move packages from truck to pallet
The setup starts at the trailer. Pickle Robot’s system unloads boxes from trailers or containers. That matters because unloading mixed freight can be exhausting work. It also creates bottlenecks when warehouses do not have enough people on the dock. From there, the packages move by conveyor into AmbiStack. Ambi Robotics designed AmbiStack as a multipurpose stacking system. It reads package information and builds pallets for the next stage of the warehouse process.
The key here is the handoff. Many warehouses already use automation. However, those systems often work in separate lanes. One machine may handle unloading. Another may handle sorting or stacking. Yet the warehouse still needs people or custom engineering to connect the pieces. This collaboration tries to make that connection smoother. The companies say the system can work with existing warehouse infrastructure. That means operators may avoid tearing apart a facility to use it.
Why Physical AI is important for warehouse automation
Physical AI means AI that controls machines doing physical work. That is important here because warehouse robots have to deal with moving boxes, shifting freight, conveyor timing and pallet stability. That creates a very different challenge from software that writes a paragraph or answers a question. A warehouse robot has to react to what sits in front of it. A box can arrive dented. A label can face the wrong way. A pallet can become unstable if the next case goes in the wrong spot.
This Ambi Robotics and Pickle Robot integration shows how that can work inside a warehouse. Pickle Robot handles the trailer unloading. AmbiStack takes over downstream by scanning and stacking cases for receiving. Together, the systems show how specialized robots can connect across a warehouse workflow.
“Warehouse operators shouldn’t have to choose between best-in-class technologies and seamless integration,” said Jim Liefer, CEO of Ambi Robotics. “As Physical AI transforms supply chains, interoperability will become increasingly important.”
AJ Meyer, founder and CEO of Pickle Robot Company, put the customer demand more directly: “Customers want automation that improves real-world throughput while fitting into existing operations.”
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A new warehouse automation system connects robotic trailer unloading with AI-powered pallet building, reducing manual handoffs on busy loading docks. (Ambi Robotics and Pickle Robot Company )
Why loading docks can slow warehouse operations
Anyone who has waited on a delayed package knows the supply chain can break down fast. Sometimes the problem starts long before a delivery truck reaches your home. Inbound logistics covers the work that happens when goods arrive at a warehouse. That includes getting boxes off trailers and moving them into the right workflow. It sounds pretty straightforward until you see the reality.
Trailers can be packed unevenly. Boxes can arrive in odd shapes. Warehouse teams also deal with tight schedules and physical strain. That is why loading docks have become such a major focus for automation. If robots can unload freight and pass it into a pallet-building system without constant human intervention, warehouses could move goods faster through one of the most labor-heavy parts of the operation.
How warehouse robots could change jobs
The big question is obvious. What happens to workers? Robots can take over repetitive and physically demanding tasks. That may reduce injuries and help warehouses handle labor shortages. It may also change which jobs companies need most.
Instead of spending a full shift unloading trailers, some workers may monitor the unloading and stacking systems. Others may step in when a package jams, a label fails to scan or a pallet needs human attention.
Still, that shift can feel unsettling. Automation often comes with a promise of safety and efficiency. Workers want to know where they fit in next. That is very important. A robot may move a box, but people still handle judgment calls, customer issues and fast decisions when the workflow changes.
Why retailers want connected warehouse robots now
Retailers and logistics companies feel pressure from several directions. Consumers expect faster shipping. Warehouses face staffing challenges. Meanwhile, e-commerce keeps creating more package volume. That creates a hard math problem. Companies need to move more goods without slowing down at the dock.
This Ambi Robotics and Pickle Robot setup gives warehouse operators another option. Instead of buying one giant system from a single vendor, they can connect specialized robotic tools that handle different parts of the job. That could give operators more flexibility. It could also help them avoid major redesigns, which can be expensive and disruptive. In other words, the robots are getting smarter. They are also starting to work together in more useful ways.
What this means to you
Even if you never set foot in a warehouse, this kind of automation can affect your life. When warehouses move goods more efficiently, stores may restock faster. Online orders may move with fewer delays. Returns may get processed more quickly. There is another side, too. More automation can reshape job roles inside warehouses. That means workers may need new training as companies bring in more robotic systems.
You may also hear fewer excuses when packages run late. If robots help warehouses operate with fewer bottlenecks, retailers may raise expectations for speed even more. That sounds convenient, but it also means the race for faster delivery keeps putting pressure on every part of the supply chain.
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Ambi Robotics and Pickle Robot Company say their integrated systems could help warehouses move inbound freight faster while easing physically demanding work. (Ambi Robotics and Pickle Robot Company )
Kurt’s key takeaways
What grabs me here is the handoff. One robot unloads packages from a trailer. Another scans and stacks them for the next part of the warehouse process. That is the piece that could change how loading docks operate. Warehouses are full of little delays that add up fast. If a package sits in the wrong place or waits for a person to move it to the next step, the whole process can slow down. This integration shows how warehouse robots may start taking over more of that middle work between the truck and the warehouse floor. Still, the human side deserves attention. These systems could reduce backbreaking work, which is a good thing. At the same time, they may change what warehouse workers are asked to do. The companies that make that transition clear, fair and useful for workers will be the ones to watch.
If robots can unload the truck, build the pallet and keep the warehouse moving, what job inside the warehouse gets automated next? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.
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Google’s NotebookLM is adding a new way to catch up on your notes: TikTok-style AI videos. The new feature is rolling out to Google AI Ultra and Pro subscribers, allowing NotebookLM to generate 60-second vertical AI clips based on the sources you upload to the app.
The example shared by Google details Australia’s unsuccessful war on emus, pairing paper cutout-style AI art of emus with narration. It adds to some of the other ways NotebookLM lets you interact with your research, including by generating AI podcasts, cinematic videos, and visual explainers.
To generate a 60-second clip, head to NotebookLM on the web or app, select a notebook, and then choose “Video” from the Studio column on the right side of the screen. From there, select “Short,” choose the topic you’d like NotebookLM to focus on (or enter your own), and then hit the “Generate” button.
The feature is rolling out in English only for now, with support for free users coming “soon.”
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