MG Motor is gearing up to launch its second EV in India which will be the rebadged Wuling Air
MG Motor India is preparing to launch its second EV in India next year and it will be an entry-level model with an aggressive price. As per sources, for this project, MG has taken the easier route of rebadging the Wuling Air EV instead of developing something grounds up.
The heavily camouflaged EV has been spied testing on our roads for the first time confirming the Indian launch.
Earlier, the company said that the price of its upcoming entry-level EV would be between Rs. 10 – 15 lakhs (ex-showroom), taking the fight head-on against the Tata Tigor and Nexon EVs.
But, unlike the Tata EVs, MG will position its offering as a pure city car for a small family of 4. In fact, it’s a 2-door hatchback with seating for not more than 4 people. It measures 2900 mm in length with a wheelbase of 2010 mm.
So, essentially the car is smaller than the Maruti Suzuki Alto itself. The wheels are 12-inch steel units but, in India, we could get alloys as per the trend in its price range. Also, the spotted test mule has got a tailgate mounted spare wheel to free up more boot space.
The upcoming EV will reportedly sport 2 big screens – 1 for instrument cluster and the other 1 for infotainment. Higher variants are expected to get soft-touch materials for the dashboard for ooze out premiumness.
As MG is known for bringing a new electronics before every 1 else, expect the entry-level EV to be loaded to the brim with features. The company is also targeting big families in the country which require second or third car for urban runabouts.
The battery packs for the EV will be sourced from Tata AutoComp which has signed a joint agreement with Chinese battery supplier Gotion for developing the car’s battery packs. Tata will also take care of the after-sales service of these batteries.
Interestingly, MG will opt the Lithium Ferro Phosphate cells, the same ones used by Tata for the Nexon and Tigor EVs. While on the price front, the upcoming MG EV competes with the Tatas, at least, dimension-wise, it will compete against the upcoming Mahindra Atom EV.
More details about the car will come to light in the coming months. On the outside, it sports a boxy design with large glass area and all-round LED treatment.
