MG kicks in the new year with the launch of the facelifted ZS EV. It gets a new battery with an increased capacity of 50.3kWh, a host of advanced safety features as well as much improved performance figures, the new ZS EV starts at Rs 21.99 lakh for the Excite variant and Rs 25.88 lakh for the Exclusive variant (prices ex-showroom).
Looking at the exterior of the car, it is obvious that MG has started to get comfortable with its new design language that also appears on the MG Astor compact crossover. The ZS EV gets a new covered grille, making its EV underpinnings even more obvious, as well as a more refined set of lights. The front headlights are now full LED and called hawk-eye lamps, while the taillights also get the LED treatment. The car is equipped with new 17-inch alloy wheels, which seem to be aerodynamically designed so as to improve the efficiency of the car. There are four new colour options – Ferris White, Currant Red, Ashen Silver and Sable Black. The body is surrounded by plastic cladding on all sides as well as big ‘electric’ badging to make sure that this car remains the halo for MG in India.
The powertrain and battery are the most conspicuous changes that MG has made from the previous ZS EV, and here is where it hopes to be the biggest differentiator. The battery has increased in size, from 44.5 kWh to a massive 50.3 kWh, which helps to power the car with 173.5bhp of power. The claimed 0-100kmph figure is 8.5 seconds, and the range is now claimed to be a whopping 461km according to MG’s internal testing, 42km more than the car it replaces. This would make the ZS EV the clear leader in its class, beating the range of the Hyundai Kona EV, and far more than the Tata Nexon. The battery has also been given an IP69 and ASIL-D rating, which is a strong statement on the physical strength of the battery pack and the abuse that the vehicle can face in Indian conditions.
The MG ZS EV has a faux leather interior focused on the internet-enabled technology that MG has included. The centrepiece of the interior is the massive 10.1-inch touchscreen, which, allied to the AI and internet-enabled features that we have also seen in the MG Astor, are what MG hope will be the big differentiator in the segment. There are also other features such as the 7-inch fully digital embedded LCD screen, digital Bluetooth key and a dual-pane panoramic sunroof. Rear seat passengers receive many upgrades, including rear centre headrest, rear centre armrest with cup holders and rear AC vents. In terms of safety, MG has equipped the ZS EV with a 360-degree camera, six airbags, auto AC with a PM2.5 filter, hill descent control, ESC, TPMS and more.
MG was also insistent on their vision of the car-as-a-platform concept and MG i-SMART, offering 75+ connected car features, with which they aim to push more internet-enabled features and connectivity within the car. They have revealed many different partners for this project, such as Tata, Jio, Park+, Mapmyindia and Shortpedia, among others.
The MG EV ZS has been launched with two variants. The base variant, Excite, starts at Rs 21.99 lakh and will be available for ordering from July 2022. The variant above it, Exclusive, starts at Rs 25.88 lakh (all prices ex-showroom) and will be available to order from today. These prices bring the MG in direct competition with the Hyundai Kona again, and the Tata Nexon EV, although it is priced and positioned much lower. MG is also providing a 5 year/unlimited km warranty on the car, an 8 year/1,50,000km warranty on the battery, as well as round-the-clock Roadside Assistance (RSA) for 5 years, and 5 Labour-free Services.