MG is to offer the first public preview in Australia of the new MG4 electric hatchback and the new long range version of popular ZS EV at the hugely popular Fully Charged Live “festival of electrification,” which is also be making its debut in Australia next month.
China-owned MG unveiled the MG4 in the middle of 2022 and it launched soon after in the UK to strong reviews. When originally unveiled, MG hinted that Australia might see the all-electric hatchback as soon as early 2023, thanks in large part to the fact that both the UK and Australia are right-hand-drive markets.
Pricing and first shipping dates for Australia were further leaked in late September, with the promise of a price tag around $A40,000 – $A5,000 cheaper than the MG ZS EV and BYD Atto 3 compact SUVs, potentially making it Australia’s cheapest EV.
The first public preview of its MG4 in Australia will be one of the highlights at the upcoming Fully Charged Live show, set to be held on the weekend of March 11-12 in Sydney.
The MG4 will be on display at Fully Charged Live, while MG is also offering test drives of its new ZS EV long range, which boasts a range of 440 kilometres (WLTP).
“MG Motor Australia is putting our customer’s priorities at the centre of our soon to be released MG4 and current ZS EV so we can continue providing the best driving experience possible and make EVs’ more accessible to all Australians,” said Peter Ciao, the CEO of MG Motor Australia.
The MG4 is the company’s first car to be based on its EV-only Modular Scalable Platform (MSP), and according to Ciao, signals the company’s “ongoing commitment to ‘Take Charge’ and intention to move toward an EV future.”
“We listened to our customer’s feedback and have fast tracked the arrival of our long range ZS EV with a larger 72kw battery pack and 440km of range to Australia,” Ciao added.
“This provides more peace of mind in terms of minimising range anxiety and matches our pursuit of driving electric vehicles further.”
The Fully Charged Live event, hosted by the stars of the Fully Charged YouTube show led by actor and EV enthusiast Robert Llewellyn, is expected to attract up to 15,000 visitors over the weekend and is aiming to play host to “almost every EV available” in Australia.
Cars will be on display at ‘Electric Alley’ for currently available cars, ‘Electric Launchpad’ for cars coming soon, the ‘Electric & Eclectic’ zone for electric conversions, and the Tesla Owners’ zone.
Over 40 live sessions will be hosted across two stages – the Giga Theatre, powered by Polestar, and the Mega Theatre, powered by Enphase Energy – and hosted by Fully Charged presenters Robert Llewellyn and Elliot Richards and Australian YouTubers including Simone Annan (CarTell TV), Sam Evans (Electric Viking) and Rosemary Barnes (Engineering with Rosie).
The Driven editor Giles Parkinson and lead reporter Daniel Bleakley will also be appearing on panel sessions, as will contributors Bryce Gaton and Riz Akhtar.
“As the husband of a long-suffering Australian, it’s amazing to finally be bringing our unique take on clean energy and electric vehicles to Sydney,” said Robert Llewellyn, founder of the Fully Charged Show.
“It’s hard to describe just how positive these events have been in the UK, US and Europe, and we know that you will have a wonderful weekend. I’d like to express our gratitude to all of our sponsors and exhibitors for making this possible, not least the NRMA and I’d like to extend a special shoutout to the Electric Vehicle Council too.
“Even after all these years, I am still excited about seeing all the new bits of kit on display, not least the cars that we’ve yet to see at home and also the brilliant MG4, as I’ve just bought one and it’s waiting for me back in Britain!”
Note: The Driven is the official media partner of Fully Charged Australia.
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.