2022 MG ZS EV comes with a host of changes visually and gains new equipment and technologies along with a larger battery pack and higher range
MG Motor India has today announced the launch of the facelifted ZS EV in the domestic market and is offered in two trims with a starting price of Rs. 21.99 lakh for Excite and Rs. 25.88 lakh for the Exclusive trim (ex-showroom). The former will be available from July 2022 while the latter right away. The ZS EV was the second product MG brought in for India back in early 2020 and it is currently one of the top-selling passenger electric vehicles in the country despite its premium price tag.
The 2022 MG ZS EV features a host of changes inside and out while new equipment and technologies have been added to spice things up. The ZS EV does not have any direct rival in India but the facelifted Hyundai Kona Electric is expected to launch later this year. The deliveries of the updated electric SUV will begin later this month at authorised MG outlets.
The facelifted ZS EV made its global debut a few months ago and the India-spec version remains almost similar to the model sold elsewhere. The exterior comes with restyled headlamps and integrated new LED Daytime Running Lights, LED tail lamps resembling the Astor, reworked front and rear bumpers, and a traditional shut-off front grille seen commonly in EVs.
Other highlights on the outside are the charging port positioned on the left side of the MG badge mounted on the grille, newly designed dual-tone Tomohawk 17-inch alloy wheels, chiselled character lines on the sides, grey roof rails, black side cladding, etc. Just as the exterior, the cabin also gets a slew of updates and it has plenty in common with the Astor.
As for the performance, the 44.5 kWh battery pack is ditched in favour of a larger 50.3 kWh IP67K rated Lithium-ion unit and it works in concert with an electric motor enabling more power and a higher drive range. It develops 176 hp/353 Nm (up from 143 hp) of the previous iteration and the claimed range has been improved to 461 km on a single charge (from 419 km).
It is also quicker to 100 kmph from zero as it stands at 8.5 seconds. The cabin comes with a leather layered dashboard and a 10.1-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto sits in the middle with 75+ connected features including remote car control, live location and digital key. The features list also gains six speakers, TPMS (Tyre Pressure Monitoring System), EPB (Electric Parking Brake), HDC (Hill Descent Control), Hill Launch Assist and ESS (Emergency Stop Signal), automatic headlamps, etc.
As for safety, six airbags, 360-degree camera tech, Launch Control, Blind Spot Detection, pedestrian warning, rear disc brakes, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Lane Change Assist are offered. Other highlights are five USB ports, cruise control, push-button start/stop, panoramic sunroof, six-way power-adjustable driver seat, auto-folding outside rearview mirrors, a tilt steering wheel, a seven-inch LCD cluster, drive modes (Eco, Normal and Sport), KERS, PM 2.5 filter and height-adjustable driver seat.