Nitin Gadkari drives first assembled-in-India MG ZS EV

Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, today drove the first MG ZS EV assembled in India. The start of production of the MG ZS EV, India’s first pure electric internet SUV, is part of the carmaker’s commitment to a clean and green future and aligns with the government’s vision to put more electric vehicles on the Indian roads.

Speaking on the future of mobility in the country and the role of automotive players such as MG Motor India in it,  Gadkari said, “India stands at the cusp of a new era that will be driven by sustainability. EV adoption is the future of mobility and will play a huge role in curbing the growing pollution crisis, as well as reduce the country's dependence on fossil fuels. I am delighted to see that private players such as MG Motor India are taking measures to complement the government's steps to promote electric mobility in the country.”

MG Motor India is setting up a five-step charging ecosystem that is aimed at fulfilling the needs of EV customer. Each ZS EV comes with an on-board cable to charge at any 15-amp socket. The car maker will also install an AC fast charger at home/office of the customers. The carmaker is also setting up a DC Super-Fast charging network at select MG showrooms that can be availed 24x7 and plans to create an extended charging network across MG dealerships in select satellite cities along key routes and provide charge-on-the-go with RSA (road side assistance). Through Super-Fast DC chargers (50 kW), the ZS EV will reach 80 percent battery capacity within 50 minutes while AC fast chargers installed at homes will take around 6-8 hours for a full charge.

Commenting on the showcase of the ZS EV, Rajeev Chaba, president and MD, MG Motor India, said, “Through several progressive measures such as the launch of FAME-II and BS VI standards, the Indian government has been making major efforts to promote cleaner technologies in the country. MG Motor India applauds the government’s commitment to sustainability and green mobility. We are thankful for the government’s continued support in the development of the end-to-end ecosystem that we are putting in place through our associations with market-leading charging infrastructure companies.”

MG Motor India says it is also working responsibly towards ensuring that the MG says the ZS EV’s battery is re-used and disposed responsibly. The company has tied up with two companies for the same. While Exicom Tele-Systems for second-life use of the batteries in a wide range of non-automotive applications, Umicore, the global materials technology and recycling group headquartered in Belgium, will undertake battery handling, recycling and end-of-lifecycle battery disposal.

Also read: Nitin Gadkari drives a Toyota Mirai fuel cell sedan