The MG ZS EV is Australia’s cheapest battery-electric-vehicle on sale today. It undercuts the likes of the Hyundai Ioniq and Nissan Leaf by nearly $10,000.
A world away from the British sportscar manufacturer it once was, the now Chinese-owned MG is looking to make sizeable strides in the EV market. Their parent company, SAIC, has made a significant investment in EV technology, with MG gearing up to be a big player in the electric car market.
You may be forgiven for thinking that, as this bears the name of MG, there should be some sporting connection with the ZS. Unfortunately, the closest the ZS comes to being a sports car is the F1-named KERS button, which actually operates the regenerative braking system, giving you three different intensities of regen.
Despite being no fair-weather speedster, the MG ZS does do the 0-100 sprint in an impressive 8.2 seconds — faster than the glacial Hyundai Ioniq. The ZS EV’s power is from a single 105kW motor, with 353Nm of torque.
The ZS EV has a claimed range of 263km, which translates to 220km of real-world range. It falls in the ballpark of cars like the Nissan Leaf, which carries a slightly smaller battery (40kWh vs the 44.5kWh in the MG).
Charging is either via a Type-2 port or a CCS charger, with seven hours expected for a regular recharge, and 45 minutes on a fast charger. MG are also said to be working on offering Australian buyers a bundled subscription package with purchase, much like what the likes of Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Porsche offers.
Although taking the form of a small SUV, the MG ZS EV is FWD, with no option of AWD on offer. Inside, the ZS is comparable to its ICEV sibling, with an airy interior coupled with several choice features. These include an electric driver’s seat, touch-screen with Android Auto & Apple CarPlay and sat-nav as standard. You also get access to MG Pilot — MG’s safety suite.
With an eight-year or 160,000km warrant on the battery and a five-year, unlimited mileage warranty on the rest, the MG ZS matches the competition on most fronts. However, its crossover-SUV body style and attractive price point are sure to be the main draws.
A competent budget BEV, we can see the MG ZS EV winning over a fair amount of fans. Being the cheapest EV in Australia means a critical eye will be applied by most. But going by first impressions, the MG ZS EV is a well-priced and well-appointed entry-point for those looking to start EV motoring.
