What chance of this rakish electric hatch coming to NZ?

POTENTIAL of Brit-centric Chinese brand MG locally delivering a foil to the latest darling of the electric vehicle scene, the BYD Atto 3, is not being discussed yet.

The MG 4, also called the Mulan (but only in China), is ostensibly a battery-committed replacement for the $19,990 petrol MG 3 – marketed as the country’s “most affordable” new hatchback- but is larger, at 4287mm long, 1836mm wide and 1506mm tall.

It has broken cover in Europe and in China and will be on sale in both markets early next year.

MG in Australia, which ultimately oversees the NZ activity, has said it has the car under consideration. There’s no such comment yet from MG New Zealand, which has just appointed a new country manager, Patrick Bourke, an Australian national who is set to arrive in this country today.

The MG 4 is more technically advanced and, as these images show, more modern in look than MG’s current sole electric offer here, the larger ZS EV, which will soon appear in facelifted form to take on the BYD Atto 3 – they two are virtually lineball on price. Whether the MG 4 would be cheaper is bound to be a question of much interest to the EV crowd.

The car is underpinned by MG's new Modular Scalable Platform (MSP) and the variants available to Europe and, soon, the United Kingdom, will offer with a choice of two floor-mounted, 110 millimetre tall battery packs – either a 51kWh and 64kWh unit, capable of delivering up to 350 and 450 kilometres of driving range respectively.

While the 51kWh-equipped MG 4 delivers 125kW to the rear wheels through its electric motor, the larger 64kWh battery allows for up to 150kW, enabling a 0-100kmh time of under eight seconds with a limited top speed of 160kmh, according to an overseas’ media report.

The "One Pack" battery will allow MG and its parent company SAIC Motor to make further upgrades in the future, with pack sizes between 40kWh to 150kWh and the ability to upgrade it from 400 volts to 800 volts for faster charging capabilities.

MG parent Shanghai Automotive says “the powertrain is able to support future BaaS (Battery as a Service) swap systems...equipped for Pixel Point Cloud Comprehensive Environment Mapping (PP CEM)” to allow autonomous driving systems to function.

The car also marks a new chapter in styling; the more lines are more radical and angular than with current MG product.

The front end is relatively low to aid aerodynamics, while the sleek headlights converge inwards towards the MG badge in the centre. The view in profile reveals SUV-inspired plastic body cladding and a contrasting black roof. This is finished by a split-design spoiler at the rear, which sits above an LED light bar that spans the majority of the 4’s bootlid.

The interior includes a floating dashboard design, on top of which are mounted two displays: a central touchscreen and a small digital instrument cluster. The former appears to be running an all-new operating system than that used by the ZS EV. The new car also has a rotary gear selector.

BYD’s Atto 3 seems set to be a rival. That car lands in August with the Extended, which at $57,990 is $5000 dearer than the Standard that has gained headlines for its sharp pricing. With the Clean Car rebate applied, those models effectively cost $49,365 and $44,365 respectively.

In its first iteration, the ZS EV was cheaper still; it held a sticker of just over $40,000.

The updated line climbs in price, as a (pre-rebate) $52,990 Essence and a new base car, called Excite, for $49,990. These respectively cost $4000 and $1000 more than the original ZS. The MG prices include on-roads. Those are additional to the BYD stickers.