MG Motors have an electric SUV in their line-up, the ZS EV. However, it does not really sell in good numbers when compared to the Tata Nexon EV. This is because the ZS EV is a more premium SUV and is also quite expensive. A new PTI report says that the manufacturer will be launching a more affordable electric vehicle within the next two years. So, expect the SUV to be priced slightly higher than the Nexon EV.
“We have been very pleased with our electric vehicle product performance till now. We intend to launch more electric cars in the future and hopefully, we can look at a car below Rs 20 lakh as our second EV in the future. We are not defining the timelines now due to the COVID situation and shortages of essential materials, especially chips. So hopefully in two years, we can do it.”
Also read: Skoda Kushaq SUV”s official launch & price announcement timeline revealed officially
Yes, our country still lacks in terms of charging infrastructure. But the government and automobile industry itself is working on it. New charging stations are being built. The government has already decreased the taxes on electric vehicles and they are also offering subsidies to promote electric vehicles. The specifications of the upcoming affordable electric SUV are not revealed. So, we cannot comment on the battery size and the driving range of the vehicle. MG has sold 3,000 units of the ZS EV till now.
MG ZS EV
The MG ZS EV starts at Rs. 20.99 lakhs ex-showroom. It draws power from a 44.5 kWh battery that has a driving range of 419 km. The battery is connected to a Three-Phase Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor that is capable of producing 142 PS of max power and 350 Nm of peak torque. It competes against the Hyundai Kona Electric.
Current line-up
MG has four vehicles in its portfolio. There is Hector, Hector Plus, Gloster and the ZS EV. The Hector is the most affordable mid-size SUV while the Hector Plus is a 7-seater version of the Hector. The Gloster is a full-size SUV and is the most affordable vehicle to offer Advanced Driver Aids System.
Upcoming SUV
MG is also working on an internal combustion version of the ZS EV. However, it is based on the facelifted version so it looks quite different and more modern. Because both the SUVs look different it will be easy to spot whether it is an electric vehicle or a petrol vehicle. The new mid-size SUV got delayed a few weeks because of the second wave of covid. So, now it is expected to launch in the last quarter of this year.
The new mid-size SUV will compete against the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Skoda Kushaq and the upcoming Volkswagen Taigun. It is expected to be named “Astor”. It is expected to be offered only with petrol engines. There will be a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated engine and a 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine. The naturally aspirated engine produces 118 bhp of max power and 150 Nm of peak torque while the more powerful turbo petrol will produce 161 bhp of max power and 230 Nm of peak torque. Both the engines are expected to be offered with a manual gearbox as well as a CVT automatic transmission.
The post MG Motor to launch 2nd affordable electric car soon: Pricing close to Tata Nexon EV first appeared on Cartoq.
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