- MG Motor New Zealand has announced a new 'hybrid first' sales focus.
- The company says hybrid tech represents an "exciting new era" for it.
- The first new hybrid will be the MG HS Super Hybrid with a range of close to 1000km.
Like a lot of newer entrants into the New Zealand market that made a splash with EVs first, MG Motor has announced that it is switching focus in New Zealand to a "hybrid first" strategy that will see it introduce a new powertrain option for the MG HS.
The MG HS Super Hybrid will join both the HS Hybrid + in MG's local range and the growing range of plug-in hybrids with big batteries that are becoming increasingly common on our roads.
Like other such vehicles from the likes of Jaecoo and Haval, the MG HS Super Hybrid is basically a plug-in hybrid with a much large battery and an equivalently large electric-only range. In the MG's case this is a 24.7kWh battery that gives it a range of up to 120km on the WLTP cycle.
In addition, the 1.5-litre petrol engine gives it a combined range of close to 1000km, with MG saying a team of MG engineers in Australia drove a test vehicle from Sydney to Melbourne on one tank and one charge - a distance of 880km - with more than 100km of available range remaining at the end.
Like the other HS's in the range, the HS Super Hybrid is front wheel drive, with the 1.5-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol engine contributing 105kW and 230Nm, while the single electric motor adds a further 154kW and 340Nm to the mix for a combined total peak output of 220kW and 350Nm.
MG claims a combined fuel consumption figure of 0.7l/100km for the HS Super Hybrid (albeit under the outdated ADR 81/02 test cycle), with CO2 emissions of 17g/km.
MG New Zealand says the HS Super Hybrid will be available in Excite and Essence trim levels, with the Excite model priced from $52,990 and the Essence priced from $56,990, with final specifications to be confirmed ahead of launch in September.
As part of its new hybrid first strategy, MG is "realigning" pricing across a number of existing hybrid, EV and petrol models, with decreases of $2000 on the ZS Hybrid + Excite and Essence, $2000 to $5000 on MG4 models and between $2000 to $3000 on petrol MG ZS models.
This realignment will also make room in the local range for the MG ZS EV-replacing MGS5 EV that uses the same underpinnings as the MG4. The S5 will be available in two spec levels (Excite and Essence) with two different battery sizes (49kWh and 62kWh), and a single 125kW/250Nm electric motor.
The MGS5 EV range will start with the 49kW Excite and Essence models at $44,990 and $48,990 respectively, while the 62kW models will land at $50,990 for the Excite and $54,990 for the Essence.
MG Motor Australia and New Zealand Chief Executive Officer, Peter Ciao, said that the company was entering "an exciting new era" with its shift of focus to hybrids.
"We've listened to motorists who have been requesting models which offer outstanding driving dynamics combined with the ability to travel significant distances plus deliver outstanding fuel efficiency," said Ciao.
"Our new range of advanced hybrid powertrains will help position MG as the ‘go to brand’ when it comes to exceeding these specific needs and requirements."