The two-door MG Air EV will likely be showcased at the 2023 Auto Expo in January; could have a driving range of around 150 km on a single charge
MG Motor India has revealed that its new entry-level electric vehicle will go on sale in the domestic market in the early stages of 2023. It is expected to be showcased at the 2023 Auto Expo in January before entering the market. The MG Air EV is based on the Wuling Air EV sold in Indonesia but it has received plenty of changes to suit the Indian driving conditions.
The small electric vehicle has an overall length of around 2.9 metres while the wheelbase length stands at 2.01 metres. Putting it into perspective, it is smaller than the entry-level petrol-engined hatchbacks available on sale and thus the two-door model can be considered as a city runabout with easy manoeuvrability and fun-to-ride characteristics.
The MG Air EV boasts a futuristic exterior and it will be loaded with features as well. Expect it to be priced around Rs. 10 lakh though and it will pack twin 10.25-inch screens (one for infotainment and the other for instrumentation), premium surface finishes and trims, soft-touch materials, faux aluminium inserts, a steering wheel with mounted controls and lot more.
As for the performance, the MG Air EV will likely come equipped with a 25 kWh battery pack with a range of around 150 km on a single charge in real-world driving scenarios. It will use a single electric motor setup driving only the front wheels with a maximum power output of close to 40 bhp. It will have to be waited and seen how it will be positioned in India.
While the rich feature set will be one of its highlights, it will be interesting to see how it will be received by customers considering the size of the electric car and the range it will offer. It is worth noting that Tata Motors recently launched the Tiago at a compelling price point with an appreciable range.
The MG Air EV’s battery pack will be sourced from Tata AutoComp, which has a JV with China’s Gotion. It will also use LFP cells in a similar fashion to the best-selling passenger electric vehicle in the country, the Nexon EV.