MG ZS EV First-Drive Review: An Electric SUV You Can Drive Daily

The MG ZS EV goes on sale in January at an expected price of between Rs 20 lakh and Rs 22 lakh.

The MG ZS EV can do 340 Km on a single charge.

Photo: The Quint

Cameraperson: Sumit Badola

The MG ZS EV all-electric SUV will be launched in January 2020 and is expected to be priced between Rs 20 lakh and Rs 22 lakh across two variants. Bookings have started at Rs 50,000 each.

The Quint got the opportunity to drive the all-electric MG ZS EV recently in the Delhi-NCR region for a short while. Here’s what we think about the all-electric MG ZS EV which will compete with the Hyundai Kona electric. There’s also the upcoming Tata Nexon EV that’s a potential competitor at a slightly lower price tag.

The charging port for the ZS EV is located behind the MG logo on the grille.Photo: The Quint

MG ZS EV Design

The MG ZS EV looks every bit like a conventional compact SUV. It’s larger than the Hyundai Kona and is about the size of a Jeep Compass. It seems slightly Mazda inspired in its overall design. The headlamps have semicircular daytime running lamps that the company claims is inspired by the London Eye. The 17-inch alloys from windmills and the LED-taillamps from the constellation Sirius.

The MG ZS EV has a large “electric” badge on its fenders.Photo: The Quint

If it wasn’t for the large “electric” badge on the fender and the lack of a tail pipe you wouldn’t know this was an electric SUV.

The charging port is hidden behind the trellis-work grille in front. It has a large panoramic sun-roof that makes the interiors quite airy. The interiors itself are done up in leather and soft-touch materials.

MG ZS EV Tech Specs

The permanent magnet asynchronous electric motor of the ZS EV.Photo: The Quint

The MG ZS EV is an all-electric SUV. It is powered by a permanent magnet asynchronous motor driving the front wheels. It has a 44.5 kWh battery that is good for 340 Km on a full charge. It puts out 143 PS of power and 353 Nm of torque.

It measures 4,314 mm in length, 1,809 mm in width and 1,611 mm in height with a wheelbase of 2,585 mm, making it much larger than the Hyundai Kona. It has a 448-litre boot that’s enough for a short weekend trip.

It comes with multiple charging options. There’s a standard 15-amp household plug capable of topping up some charge.

There’s the 7.4 kW AC fast-charger that the company will set up at buyer’s houses which can charge the MG ZS EV in about 7 hours from flat to full.

And then there are the 50 kW DC fast-chargers at dealerships right now which can charge it from zero to 80 percent in about 50 minutes.

The MG ZS EV is internet-enabled and a mobile app shows its status at all times.Photo: The Quint

In terms of comfort, safety, and convenience features it has a decent list. A 7-inch touch-screen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple Car Play also shows vehicle information. It gets powered & heated mirrors, cruise control, six airbags, keyless go, sunroof, powered driver’s seat, automatic lights among others. Surprisingly, it comes with manual airconditioning not auto-climate control.

Driving the MG ZS EV

The MG ZS EV gets a conventional reverse camera.Photo: The Quint

We drove the MG ZS EV for over a 100 odd Km, starting from Gurugram to Greater Noida and then around town to shoot it for the video. We picked it up with 95 percent charge that showed a range of about 297 Km. Once we were done driving it had about 53 percent battery left with a range of about 161 Km remaining.

Three things that stand out when we drove the MG ZS EV are the torque surge, the ride comfort and the silence in the cabin.

The interiors of the MG ZS EV come with soft-touch plastics and leatherette. Photo: The Quint

It comes with three levels of regenerative braking that you can set using the KERS button on the console. It puts charge back into the battery while you decelerate. This can be seen on the gauge on the instrument panel.

On level 3, the retarding force is quite strong, so much so, you can actually drive without having to touch the brake pedal.

The handling is quite sorted with minimal body roll thanks to the weight being centred lowdown in the SUV because the battery pack is under the floor. The pick up is what is addictive. MG claims it can go from 0-100 kmph in 8.5 seconds and it did feel quite quick, pushing you back in the seat when you accelerate hard.

What We Think

The MG ZS EV has fairly minimal body roll because of its low centre of gravity. Photo: The Quint

The MG ZS EV can be a daily driver especially if you want an SUV to commute to work and back while doing your bit for the environment. The only thing you need to ensure is that you have a dedicated parking slot where your charger can be set up. It may not be your primary vehicle, but it could easily be the second or third car in a family at the moment for local use.