The MG ZS EV SUV is launched in India ₹ 21.99 lakh for the base Excite to ₹ 25.88 lakh for the MG ZS Exclusive. At the start of the year, MG increased the price of the outgoing ZS EV by ₹ 50,000.
ZS EV receives a facelift and new features that make it closer to the MG Astor SUV. It is now packed with a larger battery. The 2022 MG ZS EV model will offer an estimated range of 461 kilometres.
Bookings for MG India's Exclusive model are now only open, while for the Excite model will open up in July.
Range
The ZS EV facelift has seen the most significant changes. A bigger 50.3kWh battery pack has replaced the previous 44.5kWh battery pack. MG claims a range of 461 kilometers, which is 42 kilometers more than the previous battery pack's claimed range of 419 kilometers.
The electric motor installed on the front axle of the ZS EV produces 176 hp and 353 Nm of torque, an increase of 33 hp over the previous model's 143 hp. MG claimed the new ZS EV can reach 100 km/h in 8.5 seconds.
Exterior updates
India-spec ZS EV appears to be comparable to the facelifted ZS EV unveiled globally in October of last year. Also, it appears to be more in line with the Astor. LED tail lamps and Astor's smaller daytime running lamps with new LED signatures are similar.
However, the similarities end here since the ZS EV has various EV-specific features. The most noticeable change is the new, body-colored, blanked-off front section replacing the traditional grille. The charging port is now on the side of the grille rather than behind the MG logo and has new front and rear bumpers. It also has a unique 17-inch alloy wheel design.
The new ZS EV comes in Ashen Silver, Currant Red, Ferris White, and Sable Black color.
Interiors and features
The new ZS EV gets faux carbon-fiber dashboard trim. The temperature control buttons are also updated to match those seen in the Astor.
Astor-borrowed equipment is of course what has generated most buzz about the new equipment list. For the ZS EV, the new 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system replaces the previous 8.0-inch touchscreen system, while replacing the analogue dials by a new 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster.
It also has a 360-degree camera and a rear-drive assist feature with lane change assist, blind-spot detection, and rear cross-traffic alert. On the other hand, MG has omitted Astor's dashboard-mounted robot assistance from the ZS EV. Other prominent features include updated i-Smart connected car tech, six airbags, a digital Bluetooth key, wireless charging, a panoramic sunroof, hill descent control, TPMS, and ESC.
Rivals
Tata Nexon EV will soon have a bigger battery to close the gap in range and performance. The Nexon EV presently has a stated range of 312 kilometers. The upcoming Hyundai Kona Electric will directly compete with the MG ZS EV. The new ZS EV is now the most expensive mass-market electric vehicle in India.
