MG Motor to officially launch ZS EV today, will clash with Hyundai Kona

MG Motor is all set to officially launch its second offering in India - the ZS EV, on Thursday. The ZS EV has managed to create quite a buzz and is a foray into a segment that may be nascent in its current form but is fast gathering pace.

The electric mobility segment in India indeed is fledgling but MG Motor says its has worked overtime to not just offer a solid electric vehicle in the form of the ZS EV but back it up with supporting infrastructure.

The ZS EV makes use of a 44.5 kWh battery pack that is IP67 certified for protection against water and dust. The company is offering an eight-year warranty on the battery and says it has a range of over 300 kilometers on a single charge. For charging purposes, MG is also installing one complimentary AC charging unit for each customer. The ZS EV also benefits from SUV proportions, a premium cabin and a five-star crash rating.

MG recently ended the first round of pre-launch bookings and said it had received more than 2,800 orders. This is more than all the EVs sold in India in all of 2019. Whether the pre-orders translate into actual sales will depend on a number of factors, including price.

The ZS EV will be available in two variants and MG will do well to undercut Hyundai Kona's pricing which currently stands at ₹23.5 lakhs (ex showroom).

The ZS EV has the potential to be a shot in the arm for the Indian electric mobility sphere even though concerns ranging from battery to MG's after-sales service network persists. While the company is also gearing up to bring in Hector Plus in the time to come, there are others like Tata Motors, Mahindra and Mahindra and even Maruti Suzuki are either launching or planning to bring in EVs that target both fleet as well as personal buyers.