Rear-wheel drive, 0-100km/h as quick as 3.8 seconds and the potential the challenge Tesla are MG’s bold claims for the new MG4 unveiled in Sydney overnight. It was MG’s stand star, alongside the updated long-range version to its popular ZS EV. Both are bound for New Zealand.
The swoopy, sharply angled MG4’s covers came off for the first time downunder last night for a special media preview, at the Fully Charged Electric vehicle show in Darling Harbour’s ICC, Sydney – the closest Australia has had to a production vehicle motor show in 12 years – coincidentally, held in the same building that used to host the Sydney Motor Show.
MG Motor Australia and NZ CEO, Peter Ciao, was in person to announce the growth phase for MG and the expansion of its EV range, including – but not limited to – the MG4, Marvel R, Cyberster and more. Shown (above) with Fully Charged Robert Llewellyn.
Said Ciao at his presentation: “MG Motor is very excited to be a part of the inaugural Fully Charged LIVE event, here in Australia. So much that we have decided to use this event as a platform to announce two major milestones in the Australian and NZ EV landscape. Following the success of the ZS EV in September last year, we have listened to our customer’s feedback and have fast tracked the arrival of our new ZS EV long range. We know Australians love to drive and now they can go even further thanks to a larger 72kWh battery pack [up from the 51kWh battery in the standard MG ZS EV) and a 440km range (up from 320km) in the ZS EV Long Range.
“It’s an exciting next 12-18 months for the brand”, he says.
Pricing for the MG SZ EV long range was also announced at $64,990 for NZ with deliveries due before mid-year.
The new “transformational” MG4 also the marked the start of a new era for the brand. The angular five-door SUV’s covers were removed, both on the red sporty model and the more sedate grey model, at the Fully Charged show, revealing a bold look and styling evolution for MG.
Ciao: “The MG4 is the first MG to be based on our EV-only MSP (Modular Scalable Platform). This introduction of our EV-only platform signals our ongoing commitment to ‘Take Charge’ and intention to move toward an EV future. We listened to our customer’s feedback and have fast tracked the arrival of our long range ZS EV with a larger 72kw battery pack and 440km of range to Australia and New Zealand”.
The chassis is also rear-wheel drive, with 50:50 weight balance, and it’s full capable of taking all-wheel drive, with the quickest of those capable of 0-100km/h in just 3.8 seconds, though MG was still in the ‘evaluation’ stage for that AWD model.
For now, if the rear-drive EV specs sound somewhat similar to Tesla’s, it’s by no coincidence, with MG keen to provide an EV for those who don’t want to pay $70-$80k. Though MG4 pricing is yet to suggests MG will target not just
The MG4 is expected to arrive in New Zealand in the second-half of 2023. Though Ciao also admits “some models will not make it to NZ”.
Fully Charged is a global show, and the world’s number one clean energy and electric vehicle channel hosted by writer, broadcaster and actor Robert Llewellyn, Maddie Moate, Jack Scarlett, Helen Czerski, Chelsea Sexton and Andy Torbet, showcasing the latest in electric vehicles, and runs this weekend, in Sydney, and other overseas markets.
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