Can MG’s ZS EV match the established players in the compact electric SUV class?

Verdict 4 stars
The MG ZS EV isn’t about to set new benchmarks on dynamics. But as an overall proposition, with that aggressive pricing, the practicality and low running costs factored in, it is by far the best effort yet from the ‘reborn’ MG brand. And one that deserves to find its place as a real alternative to the likes of the Renault Zoe and Nissan Leaf – particularly amongst electric car customers, second-car families and company car choosers, who tend to be more focused on ease of use and battery ranges than they are the badge on the nose.

The MG ZS has garnered a reputation for being one of the more practical small SUVs on the market – a vehicle that sits between the likes of the Nissan Juke and Qashqai on size, while competing hard on price. Now, though, the range is being bolstered by the ZS EV – a pure-electric version that has the potential to radically shift MG’s brand perception with British buyers.

In fact, if the stories about pent-up demand for small EVs are indeed true, the ZS EV surely has the potential to become MG’s best-selling vehicle in the UK. That’s because the British division has access to decent supply of the vehicle, which is made in China, where MG and sister firm Roewe shifted 140,000 EVs in 2018 alone, and a recently opened battery factory can supply up to 300,000 vehicles per year. When the likes of the Hyundai Kona Electric and even the Kia e-Niro are stifled by long waiting lists, there’s a clear opportunity for MG to steal more than a few customers.

The ZS EV can’t compete with those Korean models on range but then, it’s undercutting them both on price anyway (and then some – more of that later). The battery capacity is 44.5kWh – enough, under the tougher WLTP test regime, for an official range of 163 miles – some way short of the e-Niro’s 282 miles, but pretty much on a par with the likes of the current 40kWh Nissan Leaf (168 miles). The WLTP city range, incidentally, is 231 miles – a sign of how much more sympathetic urban driving is to battery life.

Read more: Auto Express

The new MG ZS EV will arrive with a 170-mile range in September, and will cost less than the Kia e-Niro and Hyundai Kona Electric

MG’s first all-electric car made its UK debut at this year’s London Motor and Tech Show, ahead of its planned launch on 1 September. The MG ZS EV will be the first offering in a wave of new products which will expand the marque’s line-up over the next few years, aiming to undercut the likes of the Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia e-Niro on price.

The British brand is promising that its new arrival won’t be limited by the supply issues which have hampered early sales of some of its rivals. Over the past few years, the brand’s parent company, SAIC Motor, has spent around $7billion (approximately £5.48bn) on research and development, most of which was invested in its all-electric platform.

Official pricing information has yet to be announced. However, when quizzed about the issue, MG’s UK head of sales and marketing, Daniel Gregorious, stated the firm’s aim to pitch its EV below the Kona and the e-Niro, giving a baseline figure of around £24,000 once the £3,500 Government grant has been applied.

Read more: Auto Express

New MG ZS EV will arrive in September with 170-mile range

Orders have opened for the MG ZS EV, MG’s first electric car. Currently on display at the London Motor and Tech Show, it’s set to arrive in the UK on 1 September. Senior officials at the firm have promised that the new model won’t suffer the long delivery times that affected early sales of its rivals, which include the Hyundai Kona Electric and the Nissan Leaf.

The new electric SUV will be the first of several new MG models arriving in the next two years, as the brand expands its model line-up. When it arrives, the ZS EV will be aiming to tempt buyers away from more expensive rivals, with an estimated starting price of around £24,000 after the current £3,500 Government grant is applied.

Originally unveiled at the 2018 Guangzhou Motor Show, the ZS EV will be sold alongside the conventional petrol ZS in the UK.

The ZS EV will have a 44.5kWh water-cooled battery and a single electric motor powering the front wheels, that together produce 148bhp. The car should get from 0-62mph in around eight seconds. The final UK version of the ZS EV will retain these power and performance figures, but stricter WLTP testing is likely to reduce the official driving range to around 170 miles.

MG has confirmed that the ZS EV will feature rapid-charging capability, allowing it to be recharged to 80% in 43 minutes. To recharge to 100% on a domestic charger, you’ll need to spare six and a half hours.

Read more: Car Buyer