MG Motors is reportedly working on an all-new electric MPV and a five-door SUV for the Indian market to strengthen its portfolio
MG Motors – the British brand owned by a China-based Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) – is ready to kick it up a notch in the EV market and challenge segment leaders with a big focus on mass market products. According to a report, MG Motors is planning to introduce two new electric vehicles based on the global E260 EV platform that will spawn a five-door SUV and a compact MPV.
Both of which are likely to be positioned below Rs 15 lakh. The more exciting part of the news is that the electric MPV will be launched within a year and will most likely be unveiled by the end of this year. The upcoming MPV will be based on the Wuling Cloud EV, which is currently being sold in Indonesia.
It’s 4.3 m long and has a wheelbase of 2,700 mm, which is in between the longer Maruti Ertiga and shorter Renault Triber. Since it is an MPV, it will be aimed at the fleet segment as well. There will also be an all-new EV SUV based on the same architecture which is expected to be unveiled within three to six months.
This rugged SUV is aimed at the Maruti Jimny and will be based on the Baojun Yep Plus SUV. MG Motors has a total market share of about 1 per cent in the Indian market with 5 models in its portfolio that stretches across the range. It sells approximately 5,000 units per month, with EVs accounting for 10 to 20 per cent of its total sales.
The company has predicted almost 50 per cent of its total sales will come from EVs in the near future. It has also announced that it will be focusing on local assembly of batteries at its factory in Halol and is also looking at additional land on the outskirts of Vadodara to almost double its capacity to an ambitious 3 lakh units per annum.
A new electric vehicle has also been reported to debut later this year and it will be interesting to see if it’s one of the above mentioned duo or a brand new model!