MG will offer 3,000 heavily discounted electric vehicle chargers to the hotel and leisure industry in a bid to ensure adequate charging for the rapidly growing EV fleet.
EV sales hit a record 4.4% in August in Australia, and though none of these were the new 2023 MG ZS EV, the SAIC-owned brand is on the cusp of hitting its stride for EV deliveries in Australia.
That, along with Tesla which has recommenced deliveries of its Model 3 and started deliveries of its Model Y, and BYD which is now rolling out its Atto 3 orders, means that there will be a record number of EV drivers on local roads.
MG’s plan will see 3,000 new Chargehubs help to provide more charging locations for this increasing number of EV owners.
It says it will provide the 3,000 chargers, which are worth around $2,000 retail, with an 83% discount. A limited number of successful applicants in the hospitality and leisure sector will pay only a small $330 administration fee.
The offer follows a generous 1,000 free Chargehub chargers that were slated for regional hotels and motels in late 2021 by MG, and another gap-free offer for NSW tourism facilities in May to offset the difference between the cost of chargers and the state’s EV charging grant.
“In Australia, purchase price is the biggest barrier to adoption of electric vehicles, closely followed by concern at the lack of public charging infrastructure,” said MG Australia Peter Ciao in a statement on the announcement.
He says this next extension of the Chargehub will help “Australian communities by providing businesses and consumers alike with the necessary infrastructure to support the transition to electric.”
The MG Chargehub chargers are available in two configurations, including a 7kW single-phase format, and an 11kW three-phase format. They can be used by all EVs with a Type 2 plug. The former is worth $1,990 retail, and the latter is priced at $2,090 retail.
MG says they are Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) compliant, which means they can be used with third party software to enable charging facilities if the venue wishes.
MG’s refreshed ZS EV is set to hit local roads imminently. It was launched in Sydney last Wednesday, alongside the news that the carmaker has dropped its starting price to $44,990 making it nearly on par the most affordable EV in Australia.
See also:
MG unveils new ZS EV and cuts price to match BYD Atto 3, long-range on cards
MG ZS EV first impressions: Connected and quiet budget EV
The Driven Podcast: EV interest surges, MG returns to market
Bridie Schmidt is associate editor for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She has been writing about electric vehicles since 2018, and has a keen interest in the role that zero-emissions transport has to play in sustainability. She has participated in podcasts such as Download This Show with Marc Fennell and Shirtloads of Science with Karl Kruszelnicki and is co-organiser of the Northern Rivers Electric Vehicle Forum. Bridie also owns a Tesla Model Y and has it available for hire on evee.com.au.