MG brings Electric to Australia without breaking the bank – $43,990 drive-away

I’ve long said that while the technology is amazing, the shift to Electric Vehicles won’t happen in a huge number until those prices come down. Well, Well, Well, what do we have here? A fully electric MG ZS EV for $43,990 drive-away.

Now while that is the cheapest EV available in Australia, I should note that we’re still looking at a decent gap in price between the Petrol and Electric equivalent vehicles. You can get a range-topping MG ZS for $26,990 so it’s a $17,000 leap to electric. For me, that’s the gap we’re looking to monitor to mainstream the EV race.

That said, this thing isn’t short on assurances for the driver. Backed by a staggering 8-year, 160,000km battery warranty, along with a 5 year warranty on the vehicle and five year roadside assistance there’s some good backup there for you as an owner.

Peter Ciao, CEO, MG Motor Australia said: “Until now, buyers have had to pay a premium price for an EV. This has meant that only a small portion of the public can afford to buy an EV. Our vision at MG Motor is to change this situation by making electric vehicles available and accessible to everyone. By removing the affordability barrier, we are seeking to fast track EV adoption in Australia and New Zealand.”   

MG is no longer the UK brand we knew and loved, SAIC Motor is Chinese headquartered and these cars are all made there, so there’s a new faith and trust needing to be built, but those warranties go a long way to help that. And it should be noted that SAIC invested so much in electric that they are one of very few car companies to own the entire EV supply chain.

In 2019, they produced over 185,000 EVs – no small feat.

Peter Ciao said “The first cars are arriving in dealers now and our business plan is designed to make EVs more affordable and available to everyone. Our retail network is excited to be part of a movement that seeks to make EVs a mainstream choice.”

“Yet, this is just the beginning of our next chapter. We are making a commitment that each electric vehicle sold by MG locally will offer value that encourages mainstream adoption. MG wants to make zero-emission motoring add up for the first time for customers locally. An attainable electric vehicle is the first step in creating demand in market which will lead to better infrastructure, something that MG Motor is a proud champion of.”

MG ZS EV Range

Fully charged the ZS EV will last 263km on the road, with 0-60km/h in 3.1 seconds, zippy!

And it can handle everything from your bog-standard home power point, right up to a 350kW DC ultra-fast charger. Plugged in at home, it will charge overnight, at an ultra-fast you should get to 80 percent in 45 minutes.

Safety features of the MG ZS EV

Onboard is Adaptive Cruise Control, Front collision warning, emergency braking, speed assistance and lane departure warnings.

The MG ZS EV has a 5-star Euro NCAP safety rating.

Inside, you’ll get an 8-inch colour touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a six-speaker stereo along with sat-nav, keyless entry and a panoramic roof covering 90 percent of the roof area.

Great price for an EV!