Just days before rival car company BYD is expected to debut the “most affordable” EV in Australia (which was set to undercut the next cheapest EV, the GWM Ora), MG has stolen the show once again. Arriving in August, Australia’s new cheapest electric vehicle, the MG4 Excite 51, will come in at below $40,000.
History is repeating itself – last year, just after BYD announced the Australian pricing of the BYD Atto 3, which was set to be the cheapest electric vehicle in the country, MG swooped in with a lower-priced MG ZS EV, which started at $43,990 before on-road costs.
Now, the cheapest car will be the MG4 Excite 51, undercutting the ZS EV by $5,000 at a price of $38,990 before on-road costs.
The MG4 Excite 51’s announcement comes months after the rest of the range debuted at Fully Charged Sydney. Previously, the cheapest MG4 was slated to cost $44,990, with a range of 450km WLTP.
While the Excite 51 has a lower price than the standard Excite, it also comes with some omitted features, including a lower max power by 25kW and a slower maximum charging standard, topping off at 88kW on a DC charger. Every other model will be capable of charging at up to 140kW. MG said that this means a recharge of between 10 and 80 per cent will only take as long as 26 minutes when using a 150kW DC charger, while charging speeds with the Excite 51 have not been specified. We’ve reached out to MG Australia to ask.
The most powerful version of the MG4, the ‘X-Power’, hasn’t been confirmed for Australia just yet, but MG said that it’s “under strong consideration”.
“Like I said when I launched the ZS EV, and as MG has done with our other models, we are creating affordable and accessible cars and the MG4 is helping Aussies get into an electric vehicle sooner than later,” MG Motor Australia and New Zealand CEO Peter Ciao said.
Additionally, as pricing across the entire MG4 range severely undercuts MG’s much less impressive ZS EV range, the company has announced that the cheap ZS EV Excite (previously the cheapest EV in Australia) will be discontinued, while other models of the ZS EV (the Essence and Essence Long Range) will remain.
The MG4: models and range expectations
The MG4 in Australia will be available in four configurations with three different battery sizes. Each model is only available in RWD, with white, blue, metallic Black, metallic Grey, tri-coat red, orange and silver exterior colours available.
Starting off is the MG4 Excite 51, which offers the most basic features of the series and a 350km WLTP range, with a 51kW battery, 17-inch alloy wheels, black fabric upholstery, 88kW maximum DC charging speeds, and MG Pilot (which includes features like adaptive cruise, emergency braking and lane assistance). It also comes with a 10-inch infotainment system, Apple Carplay/Android Auto support and a four-speaker audio system.
Then we have the standard MG4 Excite, which offers a 64kW battery capable of 450km WLTP range. Every other MG4 from here on out is apparently capable of being charged from 10 per cent to 80 per cent in just 28 minutes with a 150kW DC charger.
The MG4 Essence (64kW) will come with blind spot detection, 18-inch alloy wheels, door open warnings, driver attention alert, high-beam assistance, app connectivity, lane change assistance, and rear cross-traffic alerts on top of (or instead of, in case of the wheels) the already mentioned features. A 360-degree camera is also packed in. Its maximum range is 435km WLTP, just short of the Excite’s maximum range. Essence models also ship with synthetic leather interiors.
Then, the MG4 Long Range, is set to have a WLTP range of 550km with the same features as the Essence. This model has been renamed, and was previously referred to as the Essence 77kW.
Additionally, an AWD ‘X-Power’ model is under consideration to join the range.
It looks just as nice inside.
MG4 Australian prices and release date
Here’s what each model of the MG4 will cost in Australia before state taxes:
- MG4 Excite 51kW: $38,990
- MG4 Excite 64kW: $44,990
- MG4 Essence 64kW: $47,990
- MG4 Essence 77kW: $55,990
With prices and range expectations as high as what MG is offering with the MG4, it’s likely that the range will be quite popular among budget-conscious electric vehicle buyers.
All cars in the MG4 series will be available through MG directly via its website. Deliveries are expected to begin in August.
This article has been updated since it was originally published.