MG reveals key upgrades to charging and battery in new MGS5 EV

Earlier this week, MG Motor announced plans for the official Australian unveiling of a new low-cost EV, to be known as the MGS5 EV – a successor to the current MGZS EV.

Now, the brand has confirmed the specifications of the new model along with opening online registration for interest in this model, which is to be revealed this weekend at the Melbourne Motor Show. It comes with better charging speeds, more range and a more spacious package.

The price is still to be revealed, but the car should be in local showrooms next month.

“We have been very excited about bringing the MGS5 EV to Australia for some time,” MG Motor Australia Peter Ciao said in a statement.

“Australian families love SUVs, and the MGS5 EV will be a dynamic electric vehicle that will provide best-in-class value for motorists. It is beautifully designed and has leading technology as standard throughout the range.”

The new model will be available with two batteries. The first will be a 49 kWh pack, followed by a bigger 62 kWh battery for those looking for longer range.

These batteries will deliver between 410 and 515 km of NEDC range, which is likely to be 350 to 450 km in the real world and will stay competitive with other offerings on the market.

This is also an upgrade over the range of the outgoing MGZS EV that had 320 km of WLTP range in the standard car and was bumped up to 440 km in the Logn Range variant.

Charging speeds have also been improved from 75 kW in the ZS EV 51 kWh to 120 kW in the new 49 kWh battery pack. This also jumps to 150 kW on the bigger battery, helping get the 30-80% charging times to around 19 minutes.

Each battery will be available in two variants, with the entry-level Excite and the top-trim Essence rounding out the MGS5 EV lineup.

Both batteries are of Lithium-Iron-Phosphate (LFP) chemistry and are expected to be one of the thinnest to be used in a production car, coming in at 110 mm, which helps create more space in the car.

This is part of MG’s Modular Scalable Platform, which was first introduced locally in the very popular MG4 affordable hatchback.

These batteries will power a rear-wheel-drive powertrain that allows for better handling on the road compared to many front-wheel-drive SUVs.

All variants of this SUV will have a 125 kW motor that delivers up to 250 Nm of torque, helping with 0-100 km/h acceleration times of just over 8 seconds.

The MGS5 EV will also introduce a new infotainment screen that is larger than the current MG4 hatchback. It will also include Wireless Apple CarPlay for those looking at screen-mirroring with an iPhone.

The iSmart app will also allow owners to control and monitor the status of their vehicle right from the phone.

This new model will be offered in either dark or light interior as well as seven exterior colours, including the special Champagne Gold which is unique to this model in MG’s lineup.

Like other new MG models, the new S5 will feature the company’s industry-leading 10-year/250,000km warranty and will be available through over 90 dealers nationwide.

Speaking of which, the MGS5 EV will start to arrive at MG dealerships in May.

Pricing will be announced closer to the launch in the coming weeks. Those interested in the car can check it out at the Melbourne Motor Show this weekend along with multiple other product reveals, including IM brand vehicles, which are being bought into Australia by MG Motor.

Having had the MG4 in the Australian market over the last 18 months has helped MG understand what customers want in an affordable ground-up EV. The new S5 is expected to take those findings and deliver a refined SUV, and with growing competition, it’d be one of the main models to look out for.

After all, MG4 still dominates the electric hatchback market and as recently as last month, was in the top-5 best-selling EVs in the country.

MGS5 EV Specifications