A competitor for the country’s favourite new plug-in hybrid is coming.

AN electrified variant of MG’s flagship sports utility, the HS, will arrive here in early 2021 to become the second model in an increasingly battery-involved product strategy.

Unveiled just yesterday, the HS EV will present here from the first quarter in highest-trimmed Essence spec with a primary target being a car that has basically had this sub-sector all to itself, the popular choice Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.

The models’ facedown in present formats will likely rage for all of 2021, as even though the current Outlander is set to be replaced next year by a new generation car, with greater involvement from technology partner Nissan. The next PHEV is more likely arriving in 2022.

They seem sure to become intriguing rivals.

For the past year the Outlander has had a 2.4-litre petrol engine, replacing the original’s 2.0-litre, and updated to a higher capacity (13.8kWh) battery, sells for $52,490 in XLS and $58,990 in VRX, has a claimed full electric range of 55 kilometres, achieves fast charge replenishment in 25 minutes and delivers 1.9 litres per 100km optimal fuel burn, according to the factory.

No price has been set for the HS yet and the local specification has not been finalised, however the drivetrain is known – it pairs a 119kW 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with a 90kW electric motor for a combined output of 189kW and a 0-100kmh time of 7.5 seconds.

Power is sent to the front wheels from both power sources through a newly developed 10-speed gearbox. This involves a six-speed orthodox automatic gearbox while the electric motor uses a four-speed drive unit.

A 16.6kWh battery pack gives an electric-only range of 51km and can be charged to full capacity in three hours using a Type 2 charger. It and emits 43g/km.

Equipment levels are high. The standard car, which is not being considered for introduction, takes 18-inch alloy wheels, electrically adjustable heated front seats, a 360-degree camera, keyless entry and climate control. The flagship trim adds a panoramic sunroof, electric tailgate, leather upholstery, ambient lighting and LED headlights in the specification offered in the United Kingdom, the car’s first right hand drive market. Whether the NZ spec will mirror the British market’s remains to be seen.

Safety features equipped as standard across the range include adaptive cruise control, traffic jam assist, automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning and blind-spot detection.

While MG has so far based its market presence around petrol cars, the corporate aim is to go increasingly electric. How well that realises in New Zealand, however, will ultimately rest on political interest in battery driving, country manager Antony MacLean says.

“The groundwork is there but at the moment it seems the country has taken a breath in respect to deciding what to do next.

“I think no-one (among political parties) has quite decided that so the election and its outcome is going to be interesting.”

MG here has, of course, already started its electric journey with the MG ZS EV, a smaller crossover car that will go on sale soon. That model has already attracted Government interest as a potential fleet car; the HS is also already on the all-of-Government list, from which tender vehicles are selected.

The medium crossover will release for $55,990 plus on-roads, a sticker that will make it the country’s cheapest wholly battery-driven car – a title presently held by two contenders, the Nissan Leaf and Volkswagen e-Golf. Both currently listed at $61,990.

The only potential hindrance to acceptance, if more than local driving is intended on regular basis, is range: A factory-cited 262kms betters the Golf but bows to size-equivalents the Leaf and Hyundai Kona.

Though full economy and ultimate range figures for the HS EV have yet to be given, MacLean is confident it will be the model that assuages any such concerns.

He also sees the car as having a very solid volume potential. “I’m really excited about this product … it will do an excellent job bridging the gap between pure electric and petrol cars.”

Also potentially available to MG here but unlikely to be taken up unless market conditions change is another full electric, the MG5 (above), which is spun off a fossil-fuelled station wagon sold by sister brand Rowe.

The front-wheel-drive electric edition is powered by a 114kW electric motor and features a 52.2kWh battery, giving a range of 344km. It can accelerate from 0-100kmh in just over eight seconds and can be charged from zero to 80 percent in 50 minutes using a rapid charger.

A large luggage capacity of 580 litres is a positive, but MacLean is wary of offering a station wagon in a strongly SUV-centric market.

“My feeling is that we are an SUV market and ZS EV is better suited. However we are always looking for opportunities so if customers show preference, who knows.”

MG Motor’s first electric car stands chance of becoming the pride of the state fleet.

MG ZS EV - NZs most affordable new EV (2).JPG

GOVERNMENT has joined private buyers in showing interest in the first electric car offered here by a Chinese brand.

Getting onto the an all-of-Government fleet tender system, from which Government department drive choices are made, was recently acknowledged by Anthony MacLean, country manager for the car’s maker, SAIC Motor, and is a big green tick for the MG ZS EV.

The medium crossover will release in November for $55,990 plus on-roads, a sticker that will make it the country’s cheapest wholly battery-driven car – a title presently held by two contenders, the Nissan Leaf and Volkswagen e-Golf. Both currently listed at $61,990.

Though the price-leader status is not necessarily indicative of electrics suddenly becoming cheaper to build – in that this model is still almost double the price of the most expensive of the four petrol versions – the EV’s placement will surely hold appeal to taxpayer-funded fleets that have been tardy to follow policy to buy more electrics, mainly because it has struggled to afford them.

The five-seater model is from MG, which through its background of British birthright, prefers to see itself an international entity, though it’s ownership by Shanghai Automotive (SAIC) rates it as a pukka Chinese automotive industry success story.

As sharp as the launch price might seem, the car was even cheaper for the 120 Kiwis who pre-ordered.

Fifty who put their dollars 12 months ago benefitted from an early bird $49,990 buy-in that achieved target within a fortnight of announcement.

Conceivably, if the Government gives it a go, then the purchasing process will seek to extract an even cheaper deal.

Expectation of discounts of up to 30 percent off RRP are often cited when the industry lets slip about the State’s bulk purchase processes.

The car is an intriguing opportunity. With a 44.5kWh lithium-ion battery, a 110kW/350Nm permanent magnet synchronous motor, and a NEDC-based electricity consumption of 13.8kWh per 100km, it seems set to offer reasonable performance.

MG ZS EV - NZs most affordable new EV (1).JPG

Whether it will raise range anxiety has yet to be seen. In respect to how far it goes on a charge, with a factory-cited 262kms it tops the Golf but bows to size-equivalents the Leaf and Hyundai Kona.

MG Motor New Zealand itself has set a slightly lower range expectation of 250km based on driving in Auckland, mixing with urban traffic but excluding motorways, with the air conditioning on and with a driver and passenger. It says this trial was undertaken to validate real world range versus WLTP testing data, not to confirm or claim motor efficiency.

How it might perform at a steady 100km has yet to spelled out. But there’s good reason why the brand is reminding its customer base that the national recharging network is in reasonable shape, with a public charging point of some kind available every 70kms of main national highway on average.

The CCS Combined and Type 2 charging ports in the grille are compatible with the national charging infrastructure. The car can be powered up to 80 percent in 40 minutes using a 50kW fast-charger, seven hours with a 7kW charger unit of the type that can be installed at home - or simply trickle charged using a standard three-point plug.

SAIC Motor makes its own charging boxes, but MG here has opted to use a third party supplier, TransNet, to supply and install a Wallbox range of home chargers in customers’ homes.

MG has also announced a T edition of the ZS in 1.3-litre turbo petrol format, featuring the MG Pilot driver safety provision that packages a spread of assist functions, including forward collision warning, auto emergency braking, lane departure warning, a traffic jam assist and adaptive cruise with an intelligent capacity.