Wuling Air EV’s interiors are expected to be carried forward to the MG’s upcoming entry-level EV
MG’s upcoming entry-level low-cost EV is expected to share its interiors with the recently introduced Wuling Air EV. It’s also expected to share most of the exterior design elements with the Air like how MG Hector and Wuling Almaz share parts with each other.
The Chinese-owned British manufacturer is preparing to launch this EV in India next year itself and it will command an aggressive price tag somewhere between Rs 10 – 15 lakhs (ex-showroom) to take on Tata Tigor EV and the, now-launched, Nexon EV Prime.
But, unlike the Tata EVs, MG will position this 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.
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, a test mule spotted earlier had a tailgate mounted spare wheel to free up more boot space.
As MG is known for bringing 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.
Just a while back, Wuling revealed the interiors of the Air and it sports 2 big integrated screens – 1 for instrument cluster and the other 1 for infotainment system. The dashboard gets soft-touch materials for added premiumness.
The white and black theme of the interiors provide a roomy feel despite the car’s small dimensions. The glass area is large and provide panoramic view of the outside. The front seats have tumble down function for accessing the rear ones.
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 Prime 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 with all-round LED treatment. The overall silhouette looks like that of the now-discontinued Tata Nano.
