The All-Electric MG ZS EV (SUV): The Complete Electric Car Buying Guide For India

MG ZS EV SUV
Price: Rs 22.98 Lakhs
Type of electric vehicle: Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)
Body type: SUV
Battery size: 51.1 kWh/ 72.6 kWh
Electric range (WLTP): 318 - 440 km
Tailpipe emissions: 0g (CO2/km)


Electric Cars: The Basics


For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:


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The MG ZS Electric SUV


MG Motor UK Limited (MG Motor), is a UK headquartered British automotive manufacturer, now owned by the Chinese automotive company, SAIC Motor (December 2007). SAIC is owned by the Chinese government and headquartered in Shanghai. MG was owned by MG Rover up to 2005, before the collapse of the company. The history of the company can be traced back to 1924 to its founding in Oxford (UK). MG was founded by Cecil Kimber, a motor car designer. The automotive company currently has the following battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs):

The pure electric MG ZS EV was unveiled in 2016 at the Guangzhou Auto Show. The e-SUV was launched in 2017 in China. Since its launch, the MG ZS EV has always had a decent proposition on offer, in particular, for those families seeking affordability and ‘value for money’ in a pure electric family car.

However, with the 2022 update of the electric vehicle (EV), the proposition has become more appealing for those families and company-car drivers seeking an affordable and practical electric car. As part of the 2022 update, MG updated both the size of the EV battery and introduced a second EV battery choice.

The MG ZS EV is now available in two EV battery sizes: 51.1 kWh and 72.6 kWh (Long Range). Before the update the EV was only available in only one battery size (44.5 kWh). However, the second EV battery option is not available in India.

The choice of two EV battery sizes increases the potential customer base, as not every EV driver needs a large onboard EV battery and long electric range. Both battery sizes offer a useful and practical pure electric range. The 51.1 kWh has a range up to 318 km (WLTP), while the 72.6 kWh offers a range up to 440 km (WLTP).

Even adjusting for real-world driving conditions, both options remain useful! For the 51.1 kWh expect a real-world emission-free e-range closer to 270 km, while for the larger battery, 375 km will be more realistic.

The MG EV incorporates a single-phase (7 KW AC) onboard charger. More than adequate for EV home charging in India, given that the majority of homes have single-phase power supply. The 51.1 kWh EV can be fully charged in 8 hours using a dedicated residential EV charger like easee. The MG ZS EV Long Range can be full charged in 10 hours and 30 minutes.

We at e-zoomed recommend charging overnight when the electricity prices are lower. We also recommend charging on a regular basis. This way charging times are reduced and regular charging is good for the long-term maintenance of the onboard EV battery. MG offers a 7 years or 160,000 km warranty.

The MG ZS electric SUV also offers DC charging capability. Using a 100 kW DC rapid charger, the 51.1 kWh EV can be charged from 10%-80% in 36 minutes. The 72.6 kWh can be charged up to 80% in 42 minutes. Of course, a 50 kW DC charger will be slower: the 51.1 kWh can be charged up to 80% in 54 minutes, while the Long Range battery will take 63 minutes.

In terms of the exterior styling, the latest update has improved the appeal of the EV. However, neither the exterior or the interior is class-leading, but it gets the job done.

MG offers a host of safety features (MG Pilot Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) and technology, to include: active emergency braking with pedestrian and bicycle detection, lane keep assist with lane departure warning system, traffic jam assist, intelligent speed limit assist, blind spot detection with lane change assist, 10.1″ colour touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, 360o parking camera and more. The EV is practical for front and rear seat passengers. The available boot space is 470 L.

In terms of performance, the front-wheel drive MG ZS EV achieves 0-100 km/h in 8.0 seconds for the standard EV battery. The Long Range is a little slower and achieves 0-100 km/h in 8.2 seconds. The EV delivers a maximum power up to 176 PS (torque: 280 Nm). The top speed is 175 km/h.

Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet! The MG ZS EV is available in India.


PROS CONS
An affordable family electric carDriving performance will not set the heart racing
Available in two EV battery sizesOnly available as front-wheel drive
Decent pure electric rangeInterior quality can be improved

Gallery


The All-Electric MG ZS EV SUV (credit: MG)


At A Glance
EV Type:Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)
Body Type:SUV
Engine:Electric
Available In India:Yes

Variants (2 Options)
MG ZS EV Excite: 51.1 kWh(from Rs 22.98 Lakhs)
MG ZS EV Exclusive: 51.1 kWh(from Rs 26.89 Lakhs)

EV Battery & Emissions
EV Battery Type:Lithium-ion
EV Battery Capacity:Available in two battery size: 51.1 kWh/ 72.6 kWh
Charging:100 kW DC Rapid Charging. Onboard charger: 7 kW AC
Charge Port:Type 2
EV Cable Type:Type 2
Tailpipe Emissions:0g (CO2/km)
Battery Warranty:7 years or 160,000 km

Charging Times (Overview)
Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW):6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC)
Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW):3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging AC (43 kW):0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging DC (50 kW+):0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Ultra rapid charging DC (150 kW+):0-80% : 20 mins to 40 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Tesla Supercharger (120 kW – 250 kW):0-80%: up to 25 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
  • Note 1: SoC: state of charge

Dimensions
Height (mm):1625 – 1649
Width (mm):1809
Length (mm):4323
Wheelbase (mm):2581
Turning Circle (m):11.2
Boot Space (L):470

MG ZS EV
EV Battery Capacity:51.1 kWh
Pure Electric Range (WLTP):318 km
Electric Energy Consumption (kWh/100km):17.3
Charging:100 kW Rapid Charging (10%-80%: 36 mins). Onboard charger: 7 kW AC (0%-100%: 8 hrs)
Top Speed:175 km/h
0-100 km/h:8.0 seconds
Drive:Front-wheel drive (FWD)
Electric Motor (kW):N/A
Maximum Power (PS):176
Torque (Nm):280
Transmission:Automatic
Seats:5
Doors:5
Kerb Weight (kg):1,570 – 1,610
Colours:4
NCAP Safety Rating:Five-Star

MG ZS EV Long Range
EV Battery Capacity:72.6 kWh
Pure Electric Range (WLTP):440 km
Electric Energy Consumption (kWh/100km):17.8
Charging:100 kW Rapid Charging (10%-80%: 42 mins). Onboard charger: 7 kW AC (0%-100%: 10.5 hrs)
Top Speed:175 km/h
0-100 km/h:8.2 seconds
Drive:Front-wheel drive (FWD)
Electric Motor (kW):N/A
Maximum Power (PS):156
Torque (Nm):280
Transmission:Automatic
Seats:5
Doors:5
Kerb Weight (kg):1,620
Colours:4
NCAP Safety Rating:Five-Star

Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G): An Introduction


V2G is an innovative bidirectional technology that allows the onboard EV battery to be charged and discharged i.e. electrical energy to be exported/ discharged from the onboard EV battery to the grid via a V2G compatible EV charger. It also allows for vital informational flow (data) to the grid. In effect, the V2G technology allows an EV battery to be used as a grid-connected energy storage unit.


Benefits: V2G
Lower energy costs:V2G can lower utility costs to include, lowering wholesale and retail energy costs
Improving the grid’s response ability:V2G can improve the stability of the intra-day supply and demand needs, improving the grids ability to meet the needs of peak demand
Improving power quality:V2G can improve power quality by controlling voltage and power factors
Increase resilience:V2G can improve the resilience of the grid and electricity network in significantly adverse conditions
Increase use of renewable energy:V2G enables an increase in the contribution of renewable energy to the national energy generation mix. The higher the contribution of RE, the greener the power supplied
Reduce cost of EV ownership:V2G can reduce the cost of EV ownership by enabling EV owners to earn from exporting energy to the grid
Improves national energy security:V2G can improve the national energy security of a country by reducing dependence on imported energy
Improve environmental impact:V2G can improve the environmental impact of energy usage and transportation by reducing the dependence on fossil fuels

While e-zoomed uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information, some of the information provided is gathered from third parties and has not been independently verified by e-zoomed. While the information from the third party sources is believed to be reliable, no warranty, express or implied, is made by e-zoomed regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of this information.




Author

Ashvin Suri

Ashvin has been involved with the renewables, energy efficiency and infrastructure sectors since 2006. He is passionate about the transition to a low-carbon economy and electric transportation. Ashvin commenced his career in 1994, working with US investment banks in New York. Post his MBA from the London Business School (1996-1998), he continued to work in investment banking at Flemings (London) and JPMorgan (London). His roles included corporate finance advisory, M&A and capital raising. He has been involved across diverse industry sectors, to include engineering, aerospace, oil & gas, airports and automotive across Asia and Europe. In 2010, he co-founded a solar development platform, for large scale ground and roof solar projects to include, the UK, Italy, Germany and France. He has also advised on various renewable energy (wind and solar) utility scale projects working with global institutional investors and independent power producers (IPP’s) in the renewable energy sector. He has also advised in key international markets like India, to include advising large-scale industrial and automotive group in India. Ashvin has also advised Indian Energy, an IPP backed by Guggenheim (a US$ 165 billion fund). He has also advised a US$ 2 billion, Singapore based group. Ashvin has also worked in the real estate and infrastructure sector, to including working with the Matrix Group (a US$ 4 billion property group in the UK) to launch one of the first few institutional real estate funds for the Indian real estate market. The fund was successfully launched with significant institutional support from the UK/ European markets. He has also advised on water infrastructure, to include advising a Swedish clean technology company in the water sector. He has also been involved with a number of early stage ventures.

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