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 MG4 EV Hatchback
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 pure electric MG4 EV was released in China in June 2022, and in Europe in July 2022. The EV is built on the SAIC’s battery electric Modular Scalable Platform. It is the first all-electric hatchback car from MG. For families and company-car drivers keen to migrate to affordable zero-emission electric driving, the MG4 EV is worth consideration.
The MG4 EV is available in two EV battery sizes: 51 kWh and 64 kWh (Long Range). 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 kWh has a range up to 350 km (WLTP), while the 64 kWh offers a range up to 450 km (WLTP). Even adjusting for real-world driving conditions, both options remain useful! For the 51 kWh expect a real-world emission-free e-range closer to 300 km, while for the larger battery, 380 km will be more realistic.
The MG4 EV electric car 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 kWh EV can be fully charged in 7 hours and 30 minutes using a dedicated residential EV charger like easee. The MG4 EV Long Range can be full charged in 9 hours.
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 130,000 km warranty.
The MG 4 EV also offers DC charging capability. Using a 150 kW DC rapid charger, the 51 kWh EV can be charged from 10%-80% in 39 minutes. The 64 kWh can be charged up to 80% in 35 minutes. Of course, a 50 kW DC charger will be slower: the 51 kWh can be charged up to 80% in 52 minutes, while the Long Range battery will take 60 minutes.
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, 10.25″ colour touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, 360o parking camera and more. The available boot space is 363 L.
In terms of performance, the rear-wheel drive MG4 EV achieves 0-100 kmph in 7.5 seconds for the standard EV battery. The Long Range is a little slower and achieves 0-100 kmph in 7.7 seconds. The EV delivers a maximum power up to 203 PS (torque: 250 Nm). The top speed is 160 kmph.
Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet! The MG4 EV electric car is not available in India.
PROS | CONS |
---|---|
An affordable family electric car | Driving performance will not set the heart racing |
Available in two EV battery sizes | Interior materials not premium |
Decent pure electric range. DC charging up to 150 kW | Small boot |
The All-Electric MG4 EV Hatchback (credit: MG)
At A Glance | |
---|---|
EV Type: | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) |
Vehicle Type: | Hatchback |
Engine: | Electric |
Available In India: | No |
Variants (1 Option) |
---|
MG4 EV (from ₹ N/A) |
EV Battery & Emissions | |
---|---|
EV Battery Type: | Lithium-ion |
EV Battery Capacity: | Available in two battery sizes: 51 kWh/64 kWh |
Charging: | 150 kW Rapid Charging (10%-80%: 39 mins). Onboard charger: 7 kW AC (0%-100%: 7 hrs 30 mins) |
Charge Port: | Type 2 |
EV Cable Type: | Type 2 |
Tailpipe Emissions: | 0g (CO2/km) |
Battery Warranty: | 7 years or 130,000 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 | |
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Height (mm): | 1504 |
Width (mm): | 2060 |
Length (mm): | 4287 |
Wheelbase (mm): | 2705 |
Turning Circle (m): | N/A |
Boot Space (L): | 363 |
MG4 EV | |
---|---|
EV Battery Capacity: | 51 kWh |
Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 350 km |
Electric Energy Consumption (kWh/100km): | 17.0 |
Charging: | 150 kW Rapid Charging (10%-80%: 39 mins). Onboard charger: 7 kW AC (0%-100%: 7 hrs 30 mins) |
Top Speed: | 160 km/h |
0-100 km/h: | 7.5 seconds |
Drive: | Rear-wheel drive (RWD) |
Electric Motor (kW): | 125 |
Maximum Power (PS): | 170 |
Torque (Nm): | 250 |
Transmission: | Automatic |
Seats: | 5 |
Doors: | 5 |
Kerb Weight (kg): | 1,655 |
Colours: | 4 |
NCAP Safety Rating: | N/A |
MG4 EV Long Range | |
---|---|
EV Battery Capacity: | 64 kWh |
Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 450 km |
Electric Energy Consumption (kWh/100km): | 16.0 – 16.6 |
Charging: | 150 kW Rapid Charging (10%-80%: 35 mins). Onboard charger: 7 kW AC (0%-100%: 9 hrs) |
Top Speed: | 160 km/h |
0-100 km/h: | 7.7 seconds |
Drive: | Rear-wheel drive (RWD) |
Electric Motor (kW): | 150 |
Maximum Power (PS): | 203 |
Torque (Nm): | 250 |
Transmission: | Automatic |
Seats: | 5 |
Doors: | 5 |
Kerb Weight (kg): | 1,685 |
Colours: | 5 |
NCAP Safety Rating: | N/A |
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 |
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