Meet the MG ZS EV: Australia's Most Affordable Battery Electric Vehicle
Image: MG Motors
On the one hand, MG traditionalists must be up-in-arms over the manufacturer’s current range of SUVs. Though the MG ZS EV is a long way from the classic MGB GT or elegant MGA, the reality is that the Australian passenger car market is dominated by SUV sales in 2020. Every manufacturer has multiple toes in the crossover pool, and can you blame them? At the top end of the market, Porsche SUV sales have arguably saved the brand, accounting fo 68% of sales worldwide, but across the spectrum, brands are finding new customers with SUVs of all sizes.
Unfortunately for the planet, SUVs aren’t exactly green, and have a large environmental footprint. Enter MG’s all-new zero emission ZS EV. Priced from $43,990 AUD (inclusive of on-road costs), it takes the crown for the most affordable fully electric vehicle on sale in Australia, undercutting the Hyundai Ioniq BEV by about $15,000, and the equivalent Kona Electric SUV by about $23,000.
The MG ZS EV features a 45kWh battery, and is rated to offer up to 263km in combined driving (WLTP) but MG Australia and New Zealand CEO Peter Cao says the car can drive up to 370km in stop-start city traffic. With three driving modes as well as three levels of regenerative braking, the new electric MG has the ability to charge to 80% in 45 minutes at a max charge rate of 85kW.
With 105kW of power and 353Nm torque, the ZS EV can reach 60 km/h in 3.2 seconds, and 100 km/h in 8.2 seconds.
With safety a top priority, the ZS EV has a range of active and passive features, including lane keeping, rear cross traffic alerts, and intelligent speed assist that helps the driver keep to the speed limit and follow the car in front.
The ZS EV offers a good range of standard equipment, including touchscreen infotainment system, Android Auto/Apple Carplay, keyless entry and start and numerous active and passive safety systems.