‘Reach the specified range of 440 km in the summer’
Due to a stream of new electric models, the storm around the more than five-year-old MG ZS EV will have calmed down somewhat, right? Well, not quite. Last year, the Chinese-British SUV experienced a remarkable revival and the number of sales even came close to the peak year of 2020. Reason enough to give it a try. What range do owners and users achieve in practice?
The model was introduced in the Netherlands with an advertised battery capacity of 44.5 kWh, of which 42.5 kWh was available net. MG promised a maximum range of 263 kilometers. In 2021, the model was updated, the net capacity increased to 49 kWh (320 km driving range) and a Long Range variant was also released. With gross 72.6 and net 68.3 kWh storage capacity, it promised a range of up to 440 km.
Range MG ZS EV 42.5 kWh
We start with the model with which MG stormed the market. This car appeared a number of times in our own comparative tests. In a comparison test with the Kia e-Niro, the MG came out on top with a range of 212 kilometers, in a test against two considerably more compact cars it did slightly better with 222 km.
These values are quite similar to figures that users report in their reviews. When we combine all the values reported there, we arrive at an average of 218 kilometers. One rider finds the range somewhat disappointing and provides insight into his own practice. “It varies from 150 km in winter to 240 in summer, of course influenced by driving style, driving mode (Eco, Normal, Sport), temperature and other things.”
A second owner is more positive. “The range was 100% better for us, especially in the summer, and was exactly as expected,” he writes. “Especially if you drive on cruise control and in Economy mode, it is accurate to the kilometer and the range is around 260 km. However, as is known, the range in winter is a lot less. Then we arrive at around 195 to 200 km.”
New MG ZSs go further
The updated model showed a significant step up: in our own test against the DS 3 E-Tense, it proved that it could travel up to 326 kilometers. According to the owner of such a copy, the cold is still taking hold of the new model. “At 12 degrees Celsius I had a consumption of about 17 kWh/100 km and now, at 4 degrees, more than 20 kWh/100 km in city traffic.” This results in a maximum range of 288 and 245 kilometers respectively.
Finally, some attention to the Long Range version with a net 68.3 kWh battery. We have considerably less data at our disposal, so we can at most give an indication of the average driving range. The corresponding number is 423 kilometers. In any case, this value is positive for drivers. “The average consumption is 16.6 kWh/100 km,” writes one of them. “Not bad considering the winter temperatures,” he says. And it can be even better. “Consumption is on average between 15.2 and 17.5 kWh per 100 km,” reports a second driver. “In the summer I now achieve the specified range of 440 km and even up to 455 km on a full battery.”
Riders who have more ‘left over’ seem more positive about consumption and range. Not only the Long Range variant offers this, the ‘new’ 50 kWh variant also offers drivers that little bit more. Only time will tell whether this will be enough for the ZS to score again in 2024 after the revival in sales figures last year.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl