The MG ZS EV is DrivingElectric’s Car of the Year 2022, but one thing is clear: we need more affordable electric cars

The list of 2022 DrivingElectric Award winners has been revealed in full, with the new MG ZS EV taking both the Best-Value EV prize, as well as our overall Car of the Year trophy.

But if the rundown of finalists highlights just one thing, it’s that there still aren’t enough affordable electric cars on sale in the UK. The MG qualifies without question, but great-value EVs are still few and far between.

Sure, the ZS EV isn’t the cheapest new electric car on sale, but it is, unquestionably, the best value. As a package, the ZS simply can’t be beaten: long range, impressive efficiency and a lengthy kit list, all wrapped up in a practical SUV body. Commenting on the verdict, I said: “The updated MG ZS EV perfectly encompasses everything that’s important to electric-car buyers in 2022.”

Take a look at the MG’s competition. Models like the Smart EQ ForTwo or MINI Electric may cost less in their most basic trims, but they’re compromised when it comes to range. The new Fiat 500 – last year’s DrivingElectric Car of the Year – can do almost 200 miles on a charge, but even that falls down when it comes to space and practicality.

And then there’s the Renault ZOE, which despite its relatively roomy cabin and impressive range, was recently re-evaluated by independent crash-test body Euro NCAP and awarded a dismal zero-star rating; buyers of cheap electric cars simply mustn’t be forced to compromise on things like safety and security.

Read more: Driving Electric

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The Long Range version of the facelifted MG SZ EV could be a game-changer for the fast-growing manufacturer

Verdict
The new MG ZS EV still offers no-nonsense, no-frills electric motoring – just over a longer distance than before and for slightly more money. It’s a bargain EV for those prioritising range and roominess on a budget, but there are compromises to make on quality. It won’t suit everyone, but it’s an appealingly affordable electric SUV.

This could be a sliding doors moment, not just for MG – a brand that is steadily building solid sales figures in the UK – but for Britain’s electric car market. It’s the facelifted ZS EV, a heavily revised version of MG’s compact electric SUV that arrives with some updates usually associated with an all-new car, not a mid-life refresh.

It doesn’t look hugely different, with a new, smarter front grille joined by updated headlights, a fresh rear bumper and a revamped colour palette. It’s still very much an amalgamation of common small family SUV design themes, but it’s what’s underneath that counts. That’s because while the old ZS EV was only available with a 44kWh battery enabling 163 miles of range, this new version offers two choices.

A 51kWh car will come early next year offering 198 miles of range and a cost likely in line with the pre-facelift model’s price tag of around £25,000. But arriving in MG showrooms at the end of November is this 72.6kWh Long Range version.

On paper, it takes the ZS into entirely new territory. Up to 273 miles of range is claimed, and this facelifted model is priced from £28,495 after the £2,500 plug-in car grant – or £319 a month on a typical three-year, 10,000-mile per annum PCP deal with a 10 per cent deposit and a £1,500 contribution from MG. The figures really are a big pull, because similarly sized electric SUVs such as the Peugeot e-2008 and Vauxhall Mokka-e cost more, and also won’t get you nearly as far on a full charge.

An electric motor with 154bhp and 280Nm of torque drives the front axle, a slight rise in power but a decrease in peak torque over the previous model. The new ZS’s battery only contributes an additional 10kg to the kerbweight, which is good given the extra range that’s on offer.

With a 98 per cent charge, we saw a predicted range of 267 miles, rising to 280 miles in Eco mode. Over 127 miles of motorway, B-roads and London city streets we averaged 3.7 miles per kWh. With the battery’s usable capacity standing at 68.3kWh, it translates to a real-world range of around 252 miles, strong figures for an electric car of this size and price.

Read more: Auto Express

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MG Motor UK will supply up to 100 electric MG ZS cars to NHS agencies across the UK during the coronavirus pandemic.

The carmaker will supply the vehicles via MG’s nationwide dealer network for up to six months, completely free of charge, to support the national effort to overcome Covid-19.

By providing additional transport capacity with low running costs to the NHS, MG and its dealers hope to support the national effort in these unprecedented times.

The first six cars have already been supplied to Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Trust by MG dealer Chorley Group.

Daniel Gregorious, head of sales & marketing at MG Motor UK, said: ‘As a proud British brand, MG is more than just a car manufacturer. Together with our dealer network, we want to do our bit to help the country to come through this uncertain time.

‘By providing 100 electric cars to our NHS heroes, we hope that we will help to keep healthcare moving so that as many people as possible can receive the support they need. It’s also our way of saying thank you to those selfless people who work so hard to keep us all safe.’

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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