The entry-level MG ZS EV Excite will be discontinued from the local range later this year, as the brand makes way for the all-new MG 4 electric hatchback.
Formerly MG’s most affordable electric vehicle in Australia, MG Motor Australia and New Zealand’s boss Peter Ciao confirmed via a media release that the $43,990 ZS EV Excite would be dropped “to make way” for the new MG 4 Excite 51kWh, which will be priced from $38,990 plus on-road costs and become our country’s most affordable EV.
CarExpert understands the entry-level electric SUV is still in good stock with further shipments on the way, so it could be some time until the final units are snapped up by customers.
MG will continue to offer the Essence and Long Range versions of the ZS EV, priced from $47,990 and $55,990 respectively, the latter a recent addition to the line-up sporting a 72kWh battery and WLTP range of 440km – up 12kWh and 120km on the ZS EV Standard Range’s equivalent specifications.
For the $4000 saving compared to the Essence specification, the ZS EV Excite retained the same 130kW/280Nm front-mounted electric motor and 50kWh battery pack with 320km range, but removed features like leatherette trim, a panoramic glass sunroof, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, as well as rain-sensing wipers.
The entry-level Excite joined the range as part of the facelifted line-up late last year, at the time claiming the title of Australia’s most affordable electric vehicle (EV) and undercutting the BYD Atto 3.
Despite offering a cheaper starting price, the MG ZS EV has been unable to match the Atto 3’s sales volume in Australia, returning 916 units during the first quarter of 2023 compared to 2098 registrations over the same period for its arch rival.
It’s even further behind frontrunner Tesla, which with the Model 3 (10,117 units YTD as of May 30) and Model Y (8442 units YTD) are far and away the top two electric vehicle nameplates in the country.
Replacing the ZS EV Excite as MG’s most affordable electric offering from August is the new MG 4 Excite 51kWh, which boasts more power (125kW v 120kW), better performance (0-100 in 7.7s v 8.2s) and longer WLTP range (350km v 320km) for less coin ($38,990 v $43,990).
The base MG 4 also positions its electric motor on the rear axle compared to the ZS EV’s FWD setup, and offers DC charging of up to 88kW compared to the ZS EV’s 80kW claim – read more here.
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