MG Motor India has unveiled the MG ZS EV in India. This is the first electric vehicle from the company’s stable and it certainly is a bold move. We say that because, this is the second offering from MG Motor India and it’s an all electric SUV. The ZS EV that comes to India is the same spec as the one sold in the UK but the company is assembling the electric car at its Halol plant in Gujarat. Because of this, expect the car to be priced aggressively and yes, it will compete with the likes of the Hyundai Kona when prices are announced in January 2020.

Exterior

The MG ZS EV is a compact SUV and the dimensions tell you more about how compact the car is. It’s not a subcompact SUV, but to give you a perspective of where it stands, it is longer than the Hyundai Creta, but shorter than the MG Hector. It is 4314 mm long, 1809 mm wide and stands 1620 mm tall while the wheelbase is 2579 mm.

The wheelbase of the ZS EV is 2579 mm  so there’s decent space at the rear

As far as looks are concerned, it is more of a crossover than an SUV and it sports a wide chrome stud grille flanked by projector headlamps. The profile is simple and the most apparent thing here are the muscles over the wheel arches which give it that sporty look. The rear gets LED taillamps below the raked windscreen and the license plate area has been moved down to the bumper, so the rear does look a bit understated, though it looks good on the car and goes well with the overall proportions.

Interior

The cabin of the ZS EV looks neat and uncluttered with not much contouring on the dash and few buttons on the central console. But the fit and finish is pretty good. The cabin is finished in black and there are silver inserts on the dash, door pads and circular air-con vents on both ends which gives it that premium feel.

The MG ZS EV comes with an 8-inch touchscreen system with Apple Carplay, Android Auto connectivity

The MG ZS EV gets an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple Carplay and Android Auto and we wait to see how intuitive it really is. There’s a flat-bottomed steering wheel, USB mobile charging at the front and rear, bluetooth functionality and even a rear-view camera. For those wanting a sunroof, well, MG Motor India offers a panoramic sunroof on the car and yes it’s standard.  The MG ZS EV is also equipped with I Smart EV 2.0 connected car technology which makes it a connected car. The MG ZS EV comes with a PM 2.5 air filter which can bring bad air quality level of up to 300 AQI down to regular levels in just 35 mins.

Powertrain

As we said earlier, the MG ZS EV coming to India shares its specifications with the one launched in the UK a few months back. So it gets a 44.5 kWh battery pack that promises a range of 340 km on a single charge. The lithium-ion unit can be charged up to 80 per cent in 40 minutes with a 50 kW DC charger, or takes up to seven hours with a standard 7.4 kW charger. The company will provide a 7.4 kWh charger in all of the ZS EV cars. The battery-powered synchronous motor can develop 141 bhp and 353 Nm of peak torque and it will also get over-the-air (OTA) technology. The car can do a 0-100 kmph sprint in just 8 seconds. The battery system used in the new ZS EV is IP67 certified making it water and dust proof. The company says that it has tested the ZS EV in India for over 1 lakh kilometres. If you’re wondering how you would charge the ZS EV, well, the company provides an on board charging cable for 15 amp plugs. For home/office charging, the company provides a 7.4 kW home charger with every ZS. There are of course DC super fast chargers at select MG dealerships and the company is setting up a charging network throughout the country. There’s also the option of Charge on the go, which is a roadside assistance in partnership with Allianz.

The ZS EV will be first launched in just 5 cities in India

MG Motor has also partnered with Fortum India to set up a 50 kW DC fast charging infrastructure at the locations the ZS EV will be on sale. Fortum has already installed 50 KW CCS/CHAdeMO DC fast Public Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles across MG’s showrooms in 5 cities including Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad. Over the next 5 years Fortum plans to have 1 charging facility every 5 km in major metro cities and every 25 km on the highways

The company has also partnered with Exicom Tele-Systems for second-life use of ZS EV batteries. Under the partnership, Exicom plans to re-deploy MG ZS EV batteries at the end of their life with the car and put them through a controlled process of evaluation, disassembly, and repackaging to design custom battery packs for non-automotive applications. The company also announced its association with Umicore to explore opportunities in safe and sustainable recycling of end-of-life batteries for electric vehicles

The MG ZS EV will go up against the Hyundai Kona in India and the widespread of the charging infrastructure should give the MG and edge over its rival as it comes as a reassurance for buyers, dealing with the problem of range anxiety.