The 2024 MG ZS EV is now open for bookings in Malaysia, as a single variant only and with a(n) RM129,000 estimated price. Once seen roaming the streets of Malaysia a few years ago, the ZS EV finally makes a proper official presence in our country.
Although the brand has British origins, it is now owned by SAIC Motor which is based in China. As such, the MG ZS EV is competing with the likes of the BYD Atto 3 or the Chery Omoda E5.
It looks like your average compact SUV and the closed-off front panel gives it an obvious “EV” appearance. Exterior highlights on the ZS EV include 17-inch alloy wheels, projector LED headlamps, and LED wing mirror signal lights. There are four colour options for the ZS EV, namely, Black Pearl, Monument Silver, Artic White, and Dynamic Red. The unit you see in the pictures here is finished in Artic White.
Powering the MG ZS EV is a single electric motor that drives the front wheels. With that single motor producing 130 kW (176 hp metric) and 280 Nm, the MG ZS EV is capable of a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 8 seconds. The MG ZS EV comes with 3 driving modes (Eco, Normal, and Sport) as well as 3 regenerative braking levels.
As for the EV numbers, the MG ZS EV can be driven for up to 320 km (WLTP) on a single charge. This is enabled by the 51.1 kWh Lithium Ion battery that sits in the underfloor of the car.
Charging isn’t exactly the ZS EV’s best feature as it can only manage DC charging at a maximum rate of 50 kW and AC charging at a maximum rate of 7 kW. The former charges the car from 10% to 80% in 54 minutes while the latter charges the from flat to full in 8 hours. It doesn’t offer the fastest EV charging experience out there.
Inside, the MG ZS EV sports a rather conventional cabin design, which depending on your taste, could be seen as either understated or outdated. Typical of a modern-day car, it has one 10.25-inch screen for the head unit and one 7-inch screen for the digital instrument cluster.
There are 2 USB ports, a wireless phone charger, and a dedicated USB port for you to install a dashcam. What may be a draw for some of you is the fact that it has a large panoramic sunroof for the cabin.
In the safety department, the MG ZS EV comes equipped with a healthy amount of advanced safety features such as adaptive cruise control, active emergency braking & warning, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane keep assist, lane departure warning system, and high beam assist. It also comes with a 360° camera, 6 airbags, and hill-start assist.
Upon its launch, the MG ZS EV will be made available with a 7-year/150,000 km comprehensive warranty package and an 8-year/180,000 km high voltage battery warranty.
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