Australia’s most affordable EV now on sale

COMPETITION at the affordable end of the EV price scale just became keener with MG today announcing sharper pricing than BYD for its upgraded, entry level MG ZS EV Excite model pitched at $44,990 drive away.

This compares with BYD’s new Atto 3 EV that is offered online at $44,381 plus ORCs.

In addition to the ZS Excite, a top of the range leather and sunroof Essence version goes for $48,990 drive away. MG has an 83 dealer network throughout Australia, set to increase in the near future.

A range extended ZS EV is under consideration that will cost more and possibly offer additional performance.

Peter Ciao, CEO at MG Motor Australia and New Zealand said the new ZS EV sets a new standard for electric vehicles in Australia and demonstrates MG’s commitment to making EVs accessible for everyone.

“This past year has been an incredible year for MG. In 2021, sales of electric vehicles broke records and MG’s 2021 ZS EV led the charge,” he said.

“However, we would have not achieved this success without the support of our customers.

“Our seven-year warranty is comprehensive across ICE, Electric and Batteries with no hidden exclusions.

“We have been successful in offering the Australian market unparalleled value and we are now entering a new phase of our growth with the new ZS EV. This is the first step in our new journey to an electric future that’s here today.”

Mr Ciao said at the ZS EV launch function that a new corporate identity for MG dealerships is being implemented that will be subsidised by the company.

This is a mid-life upgrade to the ZS EV that has been available here for a couple of years.

The car is built on an adapted internal combustion engine chassis and as such, utilises a front-wheel drive configuration and other compromises associated with the chassis’ origins.

MG has a dedicated EV chassis under development that will completely change the packaging of its model line up and be utilised across models ranging from small hatchbacks through to the highly anticipated Cyberster sports car.

Cameron Morgan, MG Motor Australia’s Technical Manager said: “The new model brings a fresh look to the exterior and the interior along with more smart technology, more power and torque and a range of 320km up from 263km.”

“It now has a 500kg towing capacity and our MG-Pilot safety suite with extensive driver assist features is standard on both models.”

Mr Cameron added that MG has made the new ZS EV easier to charge with 7kW and 11kW home recharge appliances provided.

New on-board charging capabilities means up to 80 per cent charging time in as little as 54 minutes, based on a 50kW combined charging system (CCS).

“We have been able to reduce NVH with additional sound deadening material and low rolling resistance tyres and a new MG logo has been adopted from this model on,” he said.

Most obvious changes to the new ZS EV are external with revised body panels and a new face reminiscent of something from Tesla.

Gone is the faux grille on the previous model replaced by a more aerodynamic and EV-looking closed façade complete with a front charging port, thin LED headlights and a front apron to channel air into the car’s cooling system and underneath. Other sporty aero additions are attached along the side, over the wheel arches and at the rear of the ZS EV.

Practicality is improved this time around with a clever dual floor load space with two levels, net bags adjacent to the rear seats, additional storage compartments including bottle size pockets dotted throughout the cabin and single zone climate control with a dust/pollen filter.

Power comes from a 50.3kWh, liquid-cooled, lithium-ion battery driving the front wheels via a single electric traction engine good for 130kW and 280Nm, both outputs up by about 25 per cent over the previous model.

ZS EV comes equipped with three drive modes: Eco, Normal and Sport with the latter enabling a 0-100km/h sprint in the 8.0 second bracket.

One pedal driving is achievable through the regenerative braking (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) KERS.

New to MG is an iSmart app backed by Amazon’s AWS cloud-based system. This will allow owners to perform over-the-air updates, remote AC control and door locking, real-time navigation, ‘find my car’ parking lot search, live weather updates and stream audio from Amazon Music.

Further, iSmart allows monitoring and remote control of various ZS EV functions including the ability to check the vehicle status and monitor electric charging.

Both models are available in a range of five colours to suit most tastes: Brighton Blue Metallic; York White; Pebble Black; Sloane Silver Metallic and Diamond Red Metallic.

In another brand first, the new ZS EV allows owners to power devices using the vehicle through the vehicle to load (V2L) function.

Although the first 500 MG ZS EVs were sold out months ago, the company says it has secured adequate Australian supplies to the end of 2022 with 15,000 vehicles, including the ZS EV, on the wharf and ready to be shipped. They will arrive in Australia shortly.