Electric Cars: The Basics
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The MG HS PHEV SUV
MG Motor UK Limited (MG Motor), is a UK headquartered British automotive manufacturer, now owned by the Chinese automotive company, SAIC Motor. 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 automotive company currently has the following battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) on sale:
The MG HS compact SUV is manufactured by the Chinese automotive manufacturer SAIC Motor under the MG marque. The MG HS was launched in 2018 and is a best-selling SUV in China. The MG HS PHEV is the third model with an electrified powertrain from MG, and its first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).
If you are not limited by the notion ‘that only premium brands can fit your lifestyle’, then the MG HS plug-in hybrid electric vehicle is worth considering for its ‘value proposition’. The more affordable retail price, along with the lower cost of emission-free electric driving, can result in decent financial savings for families and companies.
The PHEV has a 16.6 kWh onboard EV battery and a WLTP certified pure electric range up to 32 miles. Both are typical of this type of plug-in hybrid electric car. However, expect the real-world electric range to be closer to 27 miles. The EV range is impacted by a number of factors, to include: driving profile, speed, load, regenerative braking, road condition, weather, wheel size and a lot more.
Do keep in mind that a vast number of trips are below 10 miles, and a 32 miles electric driving range is sufficient for daily commutes (school-runs, grocery store, gym, high street etc). Moreover, the majority of motorists, drive no more than 30 miles a day.
The MG PHEV pairs a 1.5-litre GDI turbocharged petrol engine (10-speed automatic) with an electric motor (90 kW), powered by an onboard EV battery. The automotive manufacturer claims a fuel economy up to 155.8 mpg for the electric vehicle (EV). Of course the real-world fuel economy will depend on a number of factors, but none as influential as using the e-mode.
Bottom-line, to increase the fuel economy of the electric vehicle and lower the driving costs, the PHEV should be driven as much as possible on the pure electric mode. It is also far cheaper to drive on electric mode, compared to using the combustion engine. Of course, driving on e-mode has the added benefit of a smoother and quieter drive.
Taking advantage of the EV range will also require inculcating a habit of charging the EV on a regular basis, which again is as easy as charging a smartphone. We at e-zoomed recommend the use of a dedicated EV charging station, like easee to charge the EV. We do not encourage the use of a domestic 3-PIN plug.
Charging the EV using a single-phase EV charger will take up to 4.5 hours (0% → 100%). Of course, if you top up on a regular basis, the charging time will be faster. The EV incorporates a 7 kW AC onboard charger and is not capable of DC fast charging. MG offers a 7 year or 80,000 miles warranty.
The performance of the electric SUV is surprisingly, not bad! The front-wheel drive MG HS plug-in hybrid can achieve 0-62 mph in 6.9 seconds, with a top speed of 118 mph (in electric mode, the top speed is 81 mph). The hybrid drivetrain delivers a maximum power of 258 PS (torque 273 Nm), sufficient for city and motorway driving. Do keep in mind that the additional weight of the onboard EV battery does impact the overall performance of the vehicle (EV Kerb weight: 1,775 kg).
In terms of practicality, this five-seat family plug-in hybrid SUV has much to offer. The interior is spacious, to include ample legroom and headroom for rear seat passengers. For the higher trim, also included is the panoramic sunroof, further enhancing the experience of the interior cabin. Despite the placement of the onboard EV battery, the boot space is decent (448 L). Interior quality and refinement is reflective of EV price.
The MG HS also includes: driver assist package, adaptive cruise control, collision warning, lane keep assist, blind spot detection, 10.1″ touchscreen, Apple Car Play, Android Auto, 360 parking camera, automatic headlights, keyless entry, power tailgate and more. The electric vehicle has been awarded a Five-Star NCAP safety rating.
Bottom-line, the MG HS plug-in hybrid SUV has much to offer, for those seeking ‘value for money’, in an environmentally-friendly electric vehicle. The EV has claimed tailpipe emissions up to 43g CO2/km. Again, substantially lower than the emissions of the conventional petrol variant.
Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet! The MG HS plug-in hybrid is not available in India. However, the company does sell the all-electric MG ZS EV in India.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| An affordable PHEV (value for money) | Average driving performance |
| Practical and ample space for families and luggage | DC charging not available |
| Good standard kit included | Exterior styling may not be to everyones liking |
Gallery
The MG HS PHEV SUV (credit: MG)
One of the key advantages of driving an electric vehicle (EV), is that, it is cheaper to drive, compared to conventional internal combustion engine (ICE), petrol and diesel vehicles. For many years, we have witnessed a significant increase in prices at petrol pumps across India. However, this is not an ‘India’ only trend, but a global trend. We can continue to expect an inflation in global petrol and diesel prices for the foreseeable future.
Both, a pure electric car and a plug-in hybrid electric car, offer significant savings on driving costs per mile, when driven on zero-tailpipe emission electric mode. In India, filling a petrol or diesel car can cost anything between Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000. As an example, the very popular Audi Q7 diesel SUV has a fuel capacity of 85 litres. Assuming an average cost per litre of Rs 90, the cost of filling a full tank will be up to Rs 7,650!
In comparison, the all-electric Audi e-tron SUV , which is now available in India, and a similar size to the Audi Q7, can be fully recharged for less than Rs 1,000. Put another way, charging the Audi electric SUV, can save up to 85% compared to filling a full tank of fuel (in India, the average cost for residential electricity is between Rs 5 to Rs 10 per kWh).
At an average one can expect a cost per km of Rs 1 for a zero-emission EV, while for an equivalent petrol or diesel vehicle, the cost per km could be up to Rs 7 per km. The annual cost savings achieved by switching to electric driving is significant! The sooner you switch to green cars, the sooner you can start saving money. That is simply the bottom-line!
| At A Glance | |
|---|---|
| EV Type: | Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) |
| Vehicle Type: | SUV |
| Engine: | Petrol-Electric |
| Available In India: | No |
| Variants (2 Options) |
|---|
| Excite |
| Exclusive |
| EV Battery & Emissions | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Type: | Lithium-ion |
| EV Battery Capacity: | Available in one battery size: 16.6 kWh |
| Charging: | DC charging not available. Onboard charger 7 kW AC (0% – 100%: 4.5 hrs) |
| Charge Port: | Type 2 |
| EV Cable Type: | Type 2 |
| Tailpipe Emissions: | 43g (CO2/km) |
| Warranty: | 7 years or 80,000 miles |
| 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): | 1664 |
| Width (mm): | 2078 |
| Length (mm): | 4574 |
| Wheelbase (mm): | 2720 |
| Turning Circle (m): | 11.1 |
| Boot capacity (L): | 448 |
| MG HS 1.5T-GDI Plug-In Hybrid | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Capacity: | 16.6 kWh |
| Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 32 miles |
| Electric Energy Consumption (kWh/100km): | 24.0 |
| Fuel Consumption (MPG): | 155.8 |
| Charging: | DC charging not available. Onboard charger 7 kW AC (0% – 100%: 4.5 hrs) |
| Top Speed: | 118 mph (electric: 81 mph) |
| 0-62 mph: | 6.9 seconds |
| Drive: | Front-wheel drive (FWD) |
| Electric Motor (kW): | 90 |
| Max Power (PS): | 258 |
| Torque (Nm): | 273 |
| Transmission: | Automatic |
| Seats: | 5 |
| Doors: | 5 |
| Kerb weight (kg): | 1,737 – 1,775 |
| Colours: | 6 |
| NCAP Safety Rating: | Five-Star |
Pure Electric Cars Available In India
For most of us in India, recognising an electric car on our roads will be a challenge. Compared to the more matured EV markets, like China and Europe, the availability of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) in India is still limited. Having said that, the leading automotive manufacturers in India, like Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra, have demonstrated leadership in the development and introduction of electric vehicles (EVs) in India, to include, the Tata Nexon EV and the Mahindra eVerito. Tata announced recently it had increased its sale of EVs in India by a whopping 353% in FY22 compared to FY21. Tata sold 19,106 EVs in FY22.
India currently has up to 20 pure electric cars on sale, ranging from Rs 11.99 to Rs 2.05 Crore. Leading international automotive brands like Audi AG, BMW AG, Hyundai Motor Company, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), Mercedes-Benz, MG Motors, Porsche AG & the Volvo Group have introduced plug-in pure electric cars in India. We can expect many more international automotive companies to follow suit, to include, the famed EV manufacturer, Tesla Inc. In fact, Elon Musk has already made public his intentions to sell Tesla electric cars in India.
For the successful development of the electric driving market, the deployment of widespread EV charging infrastructure is a prerequisite, to include, charging at home and public EV charging stations. In India, electric car charging infrastructure is still at very nascent stages. The total number of public charge points in India are currently a mere 1,742. EV chargers installed at homes is also at a nascent stage.
Lastly, the introduction of cheaper electric cars with longer ranges is vital in building confidence with potential buyers to migrate to zero-tailpipe emission electric cars. EVs at a price point below Rs 20 Lakhs will be key in spurring growth in the Indian EV market. Below is a list of BEVs currently available in India.
| EV | Type Of EV | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Audi e-tron | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) | Rs 1.00 Crore |
| Audi RS e-tron GT | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) | Rs 2.05 Crore |
| Audi e-tron Sportback | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) | Rs 1.19 Crore |
| Audi e-tron GT | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) | Rs 1.8 Crore |
| BMW iX Electric SAV | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) | Rs 1.16 Crore |
| Hyundai Kona Electric | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) | Rs 23.79 Lakhs |
| Jaguar I-PACE | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) | Rs 1.05 Crore |
| Mercedes-Benz EQC | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) | Rs 1.06 Crore |
| MG ZS EV | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) | Rs 21.49 Lakhs |
| Porsche Taycan | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) | Rs. 1.5 Crore |
| Porsche Cayenne E | Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) | Rs 1.58 Crore |
| Tata Tigor EV | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) | Rs 11.99 Lakhs |
| Tata Nexon | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) | Rs 14.24 Lakhs |
| Volvo XC90 | Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) | Rs 95 Lakhs |
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.
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