One of the brands pushing for affordable electric vehicles in Australia, MG Motor has arguably outdone itself with its latest announcement. New to the company’s EV range, the MG4 Excite 51 costs just $38,990 before on-road costs.
According to the company, the new EV has a reported range of 350km WLTP (the standardised method of measuring vehicle efficiency). While this puts it below plenty of other models on the market in terms of range, the MG4 Excite 51 is by far the most affordable to date. It’s expected that the incoming BYD Dolphin EV will swoop in with an even cheaper price this week.
MG Motor has previously focused on electric SUVs, but the MG4 is the company’s first all-electric hatchback. The 51 is the cheapest and has the shortest range well. To save on confusion, MG Motor is discontinuing the ZS Excite EV model, an electric SUV, although the ZS Essence and Long Range series will continue in addition to new MG4 hatchback models under the same naming convention.
MG4 Excite and Essence EV range details
As the name suggests, the MG4 Excite 51 uses a 51kWh battery, while there is a 64kWh Excite model that comes with a reported range of up to 450km WLTP. This latter configuration costs $44,990 before on-road costs.
Meanwhile, you also have the choice of the MG4 Essence, which also uses a 64kWh battery, albeit producing a slighter shorter 435km WLTP range along with its $47,990 price tag. The tradeoff here is that the Essence contains more onboard smarts, like emergency lane assists and blind spot detection system, and a beefier speaker array. For $55,990, you can get a long-range Essence equipped with a 77kWh battery that should last for up to 530km.
For charging, the 64kWh battery is compatible with charging speeds of up to 140kW, so you can top up the battery from 10-80 per cent in 26 minutes when using a 150kW DC rapid charger. On the other hand, the 51kWh battery goes from 10-80 per cent in 40 minutes via a 50kW charger.
With the MG4 range, MG Motor used its new Modular Scalable Platform (MSP), built on a rear-wheel drive, 50:50 weight distribution and thin battery platform. The company claims that the MSP produces a low centre of gravity and efficient space use, yielding strong road handling while maximising storage space.
MG4 range specifications
Here’s a quick rundown comparing each MG4 EV model with one another. From a sheer dollar-to-kilometre perspective, the 64kWh Excite is arguably the best value of the lot. Although this doesn’t factor in personal factors like your driving habits and how many chargers you have nearby. For inner-city drivers, range may not be the most important factor, particularly when you can enter the EV market for less than $40,000.
| MG4 EV Excite (51kWh) | MG4 EV Excite(64kWh) | MG4 EV Essence(64kWh) | MG4 EV Essence(77kWh) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price starting from plus on-road costs |
$38,990 MSRP ‘Excite’ | $44,990 MSRP ‘Excite’ | $47,990 MSRP ‘Essence’ | $55,990 MSRP |
| Power (kW) | 125 | 150 | 150 | 180 |
| 0-100 km/h | 7.7 seconds | 7.9 seconds | 7.9 seconds | 6.5 seconds |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 1-speed auto / RWD | 1-speed auto / RWD | 1-speed auto / RWD | 1-speed auto / RWD |
| Combined WLTP range (km) | Range of up to 350km | Range of up to 450km | Range of up to 435km | Range of up to 530km |
| Rapid charging from 10-80% 50kW rapid charger (mins) | 40 | 60 | 60 | TBA |
| Kerb weight | 1655 | 1648 | 1672 | 1748 |
| Gross vehicle weight | 2083 | 2113 | 2123 | 2209 |
| Max tow weight | 500kg | 500kg | 500kg | 500kg |
| Overall length | 4287 | 4287 | 4287 | 4287 |
| Overall height | 1504 | 1504 | 1516 | 1516 |
| Overall width + mirrors | 2060 | 2060 | 2060 | 2060 |
| Overall width – mirrors | 1836 | 1836 | 1836 | 1836 |
| Wheelbase | 2705 | 2705 | 2705 | 2705 |
| Boot capacity (seats up) | 363 litres | 363 litres | 350 litres | 350 litres |
| Boot capacity (folded) | 1177 litres | 1177 litres | 1165 litres | 1165 litres |
| Turning circle | 10.6 m | 10.6 m | 10.6 m | 10.6 m |
Competition is driving (if you can excuse the pun) better value in the Australian EV market. You can certainly splash out and buy a fancy Polestar or get a sporty Cupra Born for closer to $60k. There’s even a powerful Ford Mustang Mach-E EV SUV on the way. However, that’s outside the realm of many Australians currently feeling the effects of tough economic factors.
Deliveries of the MG4 Excite 51 start this August, with more details about ordering one available on the company’s website.
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