MG announces ChargeHub EV charger

MG MOTOR has announced the release of its ChargeHub home and office EV charger. Available in 7kW single-phase and 11kW three-phase configurations, the agnostic electric vehicle chargers are now offered for purchase via MG Motor’s 85 dealerships nationwide for $1990 and $2090 respectively.

The weather-resistant Charge Hub unit may be wall or pedestal mounted and is Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) compliant ensuring it is compatible with any Type 2 electric vehicle on the market in Australia.

MG says the low-profile design of its ChargeHub unit means it is both compact and low impact. The unit incorporates RGB LED surrounds, a discreet Type 2 plug cradle, and a five-metre-long cable. It is also 4G, ethernet and Wi-Fi compatible, and is supplied with two RFID cards to ensure charging security and trackability.

MG is expected to release its updated ZS EV SUV in Australia before the middle of the year, and will also shortly introduce a new mid-tier variant of its HS plug-in hybrid SUV dubbed ‘Excite’.

Design changes for the refreshed ZS EV include a streamlined frontal treatment that MG says is more in keeping with the model’s battery-electric drivetrain. The front-end retains the charging port of the outgoing model but is distinguished by new LED lighting.

New alloy wheels and a reprofiled rear bumper round out the exterior changes.

Inside, the updated MG ZS EV receives a new infotainment system dubbed MG iSmart. The 10.1-inch touchscreen runs new software that can accept over-the-air updates and features updated graphics plus remote smartphone connectivity offering charging status and climate control features.

The 2022 model also scores a fully digital instrument panel and wireless device charging pad.

Meanwhile, the HS Plus EV Excite will slot beneath the current Essence (from $47,990 drive-away) variant in the MG HS Plus EV range. 

The model is expected to retain all the safety features found in the top-shelf Essence, including adaptive cruise control, AEB, auto high-beam, blind-spot monitoring, lane keep assist, traffic sign recognition and rear cross-traffic alert.

As noted by Mr Robson, the upcoming HS Plus EV Excite will feature the same powertrain as the top-tier Essence. That means the pairing of a 119kW/250Nm 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol with a 90kW electric motor offering a combined system output of 189kW and 370Nm. The front-wheel drive model is equipped as standard with a 10-speed automatic transmission (with six ratios for the petrol engine and four for the electric motor). 

MG quotes a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 6.9 seconds for its HS Plus EV range, the model’s electric motor drawing power from a liquid-cooled 16.6kWh battery which allows up to 52km of all-electric driving (WLTP). The model’s claimed combined cycle fuel economy figure is just 1.7 litres per 100km.

Essence variants of the MG HS Plus EV offer a strong equipment list including a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster with built-in satellite navigation, 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, heated sports front seats, six-way power adjustable driver’s seat (four-way passenger), metal pedal trim, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and start, 360-degree camera, automatic LED headlights, LED tail-lights, ambient lighting, rain-sensing wipers, heated power door mirrors, electric tailgate, panoramic sunroof and a six-speaker audio system.

All MG passenger models are offered with a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty in Australia.

To the end of January, MG sold 3538 units nationally. Its MG 3 topped the Light Car segment with 1551 unit sales (or a 38.7% share of the segment), its mid-sized HS SUV 399 units (3.2%), and the strong-selling ZS SUV 1588 units (16.4%).