MG raises price of electric SUV, just as rebates and stamp duty waivers kick in

Chinese car company MG has raised the price of its ZS EV electric compact SUV by $1,000 to $41,900 before on road costs, just as a series of rebates and stamp duty exemptions are due to come into effect in several states and territories.

The MG electric SUV was launched in 2020 and posted strong sales, based on its claim to be the lowest cost electric car available in Australia, with a sticker price of $40,990 before on-road costs and $43,990 drive away.

That equation has now changed significantly with a series of rebates ($3,000 in NSW and Victoria) and stamp duty exemptions (NSW, Tasmania and the ACT), which will push the on road cost of the electric MG below $40,000 in some states.

That is not so clear now, following MG’s decision to add $1,000 to the cost of the electric car, which has  become Australia’s most sold electric car after the Tesla Model 3 to date in 2021.

When we had the chance to drive it we found a value-for-money buy billed with 260km driving range that is pitched at city drivers and commuters.

It’s important to note too that MG has raised its price on some other models also, but has noted to The Driven by email that although a global supplies of microchips and other materials like rubber are experiencing shortages, creating a knock-on effect for many automakers, MG says it has no problem with supply of the ZS EV.

MG has also increased its warranty for the ZS EV as well as its HS plug-in hybrid. Both vehicles now enjoy the same 7-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty as the rest of its range including the battery (limited to 160,000 for commercial use).

When another electric vehicle reaches Australia at that price is not known.

There will apparently be a sub-$35,000 electric hatch called the EA1 made by Chinese EV giant BYD under a deal with Australia’s Nexport, but details of this are thin on the ground and repeated queries to Nexport have been met with silence.

Tesla is also expected to release an electric hatch, mentioned by CEO and co-founder Elon Musk at the company’s Battery Day on 2020 that he says would cost under $US25,000.