After taking the wraps of the India-spec model late last year, Morris Garages has launched the ZS EV in our market at 20.88 lakh (ex-showroom). However, for those who booked the all-electric SUV before January 17 they will pay a special introductory price, which is excatly Rs 100,000 less.

The MG ZS EV is available in two variants – Excite and Exclusive – and, for now, is offered in five Indian cities, including Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad. The prices are applicable for these cities only.

In true MG fashion, both variants of the SUV come decently equipped. The base Excite trim level (priced at Rs 20.88 lakh) gets automatic projector headlamps with LED DRLs, 17-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry/go, 8-inch touchscreen, tyre pressure monitoring system and an electronic parking brake. The top-end Exclusive trim (priced at Rs 23.58 lakh) adds leatherette seats, power adjustable driver’s seat, PM 2.5 filter in the cabin, panoramic sunroof and rain sensing wipers. Standard safety kit includes six airbags, ABS, ESC, hill-start assist, hill-descent control and rear parking camera and sensors.

The five-seat SUV is propelled by a permanent magnet synchronous motor pushing out 143hp and 353Nm of torque to the front wheels via a single-speed automatic transmission. Acceleration is brisk, with the claimed 0-100kph time pegged at 8.5 seconds.

The ZS EV is equipped with a 44.5kWh, liquid-cooled battery that is capable of delivering an ARAI-certified range of 340km. The lithium-ion battery pack is IP-67 certified, thus ensuring water resistance up to a depth of 1 metre for 30 minutes. The electric SUV gets three drive modes and three levels of regenerative braking. Moreover, it makes use of Type 2 (AC) and European CCS (DC) charging standards.

Commenting on the launch Rajeev Chaba, president and MD, MG Motor India said, “The ZS EV is a globally-successful product that operates at the intersection of an EV’s sustainability, an SUV’s practicality, and a sports car’s performance. It comes with best-in-class features and tech capabilities at a compelling price point. We are confident that this unprecedented value proposition will incentivise more consumers across India to go electric. We will continue to strengthen the Indian EV landscape, as we offer the best of EV technology and act as the catalyst for the country’s nascent EV market by providing a complete, end-to-end ecosystem.”

To curb range anxiety issues, the British automaker has ensured that the ZS EV can be charged via multiple alternatives. MG has set up 50kW DC fast chargers at select dealerships across the aforementioned five cities that can juice up the battery level from 0-80 percent in 50 minutes. Prospective owners can make use of the facilities free-of-charge for a limited time period after their purchase.

Additionally, a 7.4kW AC charger, which the company will install at the customer’s home/office, can replenish the battery within six-eight hours. The automaker is even providing an on-board cable that can be plugged into any 15 ampere wall socket; charging this way, however, will take the time for a full charge up to 16-18 hours.  

To address the paucity of charging infrastructure, MG plans to create a charging network across its dealerships in select satellite towns along key routes and also provide "charge-on-the-go" facilities to owners.

Embracing the fast growing trend of connectivity, the range-topping ZS EV boasts of an updated version of the Hector’s infotainment system, dubbed iSmart EV 2.0. With the help of an embedded SIM card and the ability to connect to an external Wi-Fi network, it offers features such as real-time maps with charging station locator from TomTom, music from Gaana app and weather information from Accuweather.

Like the Hector's MG Shield package, the ZS EV also gets a range of after sales packages dubbed eShield – that extends free 5-year/unlimited kilometre manufacturer warranty on the vehicle and an 8-year/1,50,000 km warranty on the lithium-ion battery. eShield also encompasses 24x7 roadside assistance (RSA) for a period of five years, which is applicable only for private buyers.

The EV SUV has been brought in as CKD units and will be assembled at MG India’s plant in Halol, Gujarat. Another point worth noting is that the electric SUV is based on the conventionally-powered MG ZS that is sold abroad, and it is already available in markets like the UK, China and Thailand.

In our market, the MG ZS EV directly rivals the Hyundai Kona Electric and will soon also have the Tata Nexon EV to contend with on the lower side of the segment.