The new electric SUV from MG – spotted being evaluated for Australia last month – promises to set a new pricing benchmark after it was formally launched in its home market in China.
According to reports from CNC, the ES5, which comes in at 4.48 metres in length, will have a starting price of under $A21,300 in China, which is very compelling given the features of this electric car.
This includes a new battery pack, which the brand’s parent company, SAIC, claims is the world’s thinnest, coming in at just 110 mm. The battery pack was developed by both CATL and SAIC and features lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry.
Two battery packs are on offer, with the smaller pack being 49.1 kWh while the larger pack has 62.2 kWh. These packs deliver a CLTC range of 425 – 525 km. That’s likely to be 350 – 450 km on the more locally used WLTP cycle.
The MG ES5 comes with a single rear-mounted motor, delivering up to 125 kW of power. This helps this small SUV get from 0-100 km/h in around 8 seconds. This makes it slightly slower than the currently available MG4 electric hatchback.
Moving onto the inside, the most notable including is the upgraded infotainment system, which is increased to 15.6-inches compared to the 10.25-inch screen found in the MG4.
There is a 10.25-inch screen behind the steering wheel showcasing critical driving information.
The number of physical buttons has also been reduced, giving the interior a minimal overall look.
This new MG is expected to go on sale in China next week, with exports likely to begin in 2025.
Given this vehicle was recently spotted testing in Victoria, it appears to be on track for local announcements in the coming months as well.
This vehicle, like the MG4, will carry an industry-leading 10-year warranty, giving more people the confidence to choose an EV over an ICE model.
Along with that, if the pricing potentially comes under $40,000, it’s bound to climb the EV sales charts fairly quickly after launch.
Riz is the founder of carloop based in Melbourne, specialising in Australian EV data, insight reports and trends. He is a mechanical engineer who spent the first 7 years of his career building transport infrastructure before starting carloop. He has a passion for cars, particularly EVs and wants to help reduce transport emissions in Australia. He currently drives a red Tesla Model 3.