MG is set to expand its electric vehicle lineup with a new, budget-friendly model positioned below the MG 4. While the MG 4 already offers an affordable option in the electric car market, the Chinese automaker is aiming to push the boundaries further.
According to reports from UK publication Auto Express, MG is currently in the development stages of a smaller electric vehicle, roughly the size of the MG 3, to fit beneath the MG 4.
David Allison, the head of product and planning at MG Motor UK, confirmed the project’s progress, stating, “I’ve seen it already. I don’t see any reason why it shouldn’t fly.
It’s probably a couple of years away, maybe 18 months, so we’re talking about the second half of 2025. But we’ll get there.” He further explained, “I think everyone seems to be looking in that area at the moment – B-segment or just below it, around four meters in length, with that magic €20,000 [$33,068] price bracket. If anyone’s going to do that, we should be right there… It’s a combination of range, size, and price – and if you hit all those three, you’ll nail it.”
The current MG 4, measuring 4287mm in length, is priced at $39,990 before on-road costs in Australia, slightly higher than its similarly sized competitor, the BYD Dolphin.
In Germany, the MG 4 starts at €34,990 (A$57,846). While MG already offers a smaller electric vehicle, the Comet, in India, is a rebadged Wuling Air and is not slated for markets like Australia or Europe.
Therefore, the development of the new MG 2 aims to fill this gap in MG’s electric vehicle lineup. While the exact name for the upcoming electric vehicle from MG is yet to be finalized, it will probably be called the MG 2, according to David Allison, the head of product and planning at MG Motor UK.
“It’ll probably get a new name but it would sit quite nicely within the existing convention,” said Mr. Allison. “If you said MG 2 then you wouldn’t be a million miles away; 2 is the next step.” However, MG’s naming structure can be perplexing as it doesn’t differentiate between its combustion-powered and electric vehicles.
For instance, both the MG 4 and MG 5 sedan are small cars, but the former is electric while the latter (in Australia) is larger and runs on petrol, despite costing less. MG offers two different MG 5 models depending on the market: one petrol (the sedan sold in Australia) and one electric (a wagon sold in Europe).
The MG 2 is anticipated to be smaller than the MG 3, which is set to be redesigned and launched in Australia in July with available hybrid power, albeit with a higher price tag. Regarding its availability in Australia, it remains uncertain whether this new model will be offered.
MG is actively expanding its electric vehicle (EV) lineup in Australia, with the introduction of the Cyberster Roadster, which was revealed last year and is positioned at the top.
A new version of the Marvel R crossover is on the horizon, set to be produced in right-hand drive, with strong indications that it will be brought to the Australian market.
