In India, the three mass-market electric vehicles currently on sale include the Tata Nexon EV, Hyundai Kona Electric and the MG ZS EV. While the Nexon EV is the most affordable model of the three, priced well below the Rs 20 lakh mark, it is, for obvious reasons, the best selling electric car in India. Now MG seems to want a piece of the action with a more affordable version of the ZS EV.
The MG ZS EV in India is offered with a 44.5 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. It is good for a claimed range of over 400 kilometres. However, due to the size of the battery and the costs associated with it, the MG ZS EV in India is priced between Rs 21 – 24.2 lakh (ex-showroom).
But a government document leaked by TeamBHP suggests that a more affordable ZS EV with a 40kWh battery pack is in the works. further information at the moment is sparse. However, it is possible that MG could just replace the current version with the more affordable 40 kWh model. Should this be the case, it would help bring the cost of the ZS EV down and may result in a boost in sales for the model. However, with the smaller battery pack, the 400+ driving range is likely to come down as well, but charging time would get faster.
Other mechanical changes to the vehicle are unlikely, however, some software updates could also be offered with the electric vehicle. The same 3-phase permanent magnet synchronous motor would be offered. It would continue to generate 140hp and 252Nm of torque.
Speaking with Express Drives, Gaurav Gupta, Chief Commercial Officer at MG Motor India had confirmed that MG was looking to offer an electric vehicle under the Rs 20 lakh bracket. This new development might just be the model in question. Being priced below Rs 20 lakh along with the new government incentives, it will allow the MG ZS EV the strength to directly compete against the Tata Nexon EV. However, Tata Motors will launch the all-new Tigor EV on August 31, 2021 which is likely to be even more affordable than the Nexon EV.
Source: TeamBHP
