Update: ‘Safety’ and ‘Sales’ sections added and ‘New MG ZS EV Price & Release Date’ and ‘Specifications’ sections updated.
SAIC’s MG brand gave its small electric SUV, the ZS EV, a mid-life facelift last year. The 2022 MG ZS EV has significant changes over the old model, which the company had introduced in Europe in 2019. In a first, SUV was available in Europe before the Chinese market introduction.
Exterior
The 2022 MG ZS EV emphasises its gen-II EV belonging strongly with a large enclosed grille featuring a unique pattern in place of an ICE vehicle’s radiator grille. The stamped effect does a far better job in making it recognisable as an EV over the outgoing ‘star-rider’ grille. Also new is a side-opening charging port with four-stage LED indicators to display the charging status.
The incoming ZS EV features LED headlamps that feature a unique shape that makes them sleeker. The lower grille is taller, while the vertical side air inlets are noticeably smaller, almost invisible from a distance and certain angles. The bumper is cast in a new, edgier design. The revised LED DRL design makes the new headlamps look sharper.
The MG ZS EV has gained new alloy wheels migrating from the ‘windmill’ style design. Thanks to the redesigned tail lamps and the new bumper, the rear-end looks slightly more stylish. The cluster feature sportier and more sophisticated graphics. The new bumper has a two-part look matching the new front bumper and the air outlets (non-functional) with a fin splitting them and a gloss black finish.
Interior
The 2022 MG ZS EV features significant revisions on the inside. The overall design and layout may look the same, but welcome changes are. Firstly, a fully digital instrument cluster is in place of the departing model’s semi-digital unit. Also new is a tablet-style ‘iSmart’ touchscreen infotainment system with a larger footprint – 10.1-inches – and fresh graphics. Like the old 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, it doesn’t offer wireless Apple CarPlay or wireless Android Auto.
Most of the functions are controllable through the infotainment system. There’s a new, slim climate control panel without rotary dials, clearing up the centre console. Lastly, MG has introduced the latest update of wireless phone charging in the ZS EV.
Specifications
MG has brought big technical changes to the ZS EV with the update. While the original ZS EV had a 44.5 kWh battery pack delivering a range of 263 km (163 miles)* as standard, the 2022 ZS EV will be available with 50.3 kWh and 70 kWh battery pack options. The 50.3 kWh battery pack offers a range of 320 km (199 miles)*, while the 70 kWh battery pack allows travelling 440 km (273 miles) on a full charge.
*On the WLTP cycle
The outgoing ZS EV had a single motor generating 105 kW and 260 Nm of torque for the front wheels. The 2022 MG ZS EV is also an FWD-only model but employs a more powerful and torquier motor. The Standard Range variant uses a 130 kW/280 Nm motor, while the Long Range variant settles for a 115 kW/280 Nm motor. As a result, the top speed has improved significantly.
| Aspect\Specification | Old ZS EV | 2022 ZS EV Standard Range | New ZS EV Long Range |
| Battery Capacity | 44.5 kWh | 50.3 kWh | 70 kWh |
| Drivetrain Layout | FWD | FWD | FWD |
| Motor Power | 105 kW (143 PS) | 130 kW (177 PS) | 115 kW (156 PS) |
| Motor Torque | 260 Nm (353 lb.-ft.) | 280 Nm (207 lb.-ft.) | 280 Nm |
| 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) Acceleration Time | 8.5 seconds | 8.6 seconds | 8.6 seconds |
| Top Speed | 140 km/h (87 mph) | 175 km/h (109 mph) | 175 km/h (109 mph) |
| WLTP Energy Consumption (Combined) | 18.6 kWh/100 km (3.3 miles/kWh) | 173 Wh/km | 178 Wh/km |
| WLTP Range (Combined) | 263 km (163 miles) | 320 km (199 miles) | 440 km (273 miles) |
| On-board Charger | 6.6 kW 1-phase | 6.6 kW 1-phase | 11 kW 3-phase |
| Max. DC fast-charging time (50 kW public charger) | 1 hour | 0-80% in 54 min | 0-80% in 1 hr 3 min |
| Max. DC fast-charging time (100 kW public charger) | NA | 0-80% in 36 min | 0-80% in 42 min |
The Long Range (70 kWh) variant packs an 11 kW three-phase on-board charger as standard, a charging feature that wasn’t available earlier. The company says that charging the 70 kWh battery pack from 0 to 100% SoC takes 10½ hours if charging with a 7 kW charger. 76 kW is the maximum supported DC fast-charging power. Using a 50 kW DC fast charger, the standard range variants can get 80% range in just 54 minutes, while the long-range ZS EV takes a little over one hour.
Charge using a 100 kW charger, and the ZS EV can be charged up to 80% in 36 minutes (standard range) and 42 minutes (long-range), respectively.
Video Source: Youtube/Planet Car News
What’s becoming increasingly common among modern EVs is two-way charging, where the battery of an EV can be used to charge external appliances. In MG speak, it’s called the V2L (Vehicle-to-Load) system, which has household sockets on the other side of the type-2 CCS charger. With a maximum load capacity of 2500 W, customers can charge their e-bike, kettle, electric scooter, and even another EV if required using the 2022 MG ZS EV.
Safety
The MG ZS EV is among the first pure electric cars to get a 5-star safety rating from Euro NCAP. Under the MG Pilot moniker, it receives a range of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). All variants of the ZS EV get ADAS features like autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, traffic jam assist, and high beam assist. Higher variants also get rear cross-traffic alert and blind-spot monitoring with lane change assist.
Additionally, there’s a suite of standard equipment on the ZS EV. All variants benefit from ESP, hill assist, tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), and emergency brake assist, among others.
New MG ZS EV Price & Release Date
MG modernized the design, improved the specifications, and most importantly the MG ZS EV is equipped with a new and much larger battery that offers an electric range up to 440 km. So worry free electric driving is a guarantee for a fair price.
Mike Belinfante, Senior Manager PR of MG Motor Europe
| 2022 MG ZS EV Configuration | Norway Price | Sweden Price | Germany Price |
| ZS EV Standard Range Comfort | NA | NA | EUR 30,420 |
| ZS EV Standard Range Luxury | NA | NA | EUR 32,420 |
| ZS EV Long Range Comfort | NOK 311,990 | SEK 399,990 | EUR 34,420 |
| ZS EV Long Range Luxury | NOK 341,890 | SEK 429,990 | EUR 36,420 |
The 2022 MG ZS EV is now at European dealerships, including Norway. It will be available in only the Long Range variant at launch in some markets. There are more variants on offer in the UK than in other European markets; hence, there’s a separate chart below with UK-specific prices and variants.
| 2022 MG ZS EV Configuration | UK Price |
| ZS EV SE Standard Range (With PiCG) | GBP 27,495 |
| ZS EV Trophy Standard Range (With PiCG) | GBP 29,995 |
| ZS EV Trophy Connect Standard Range (With PiCG) | GBP 30,495 |
| ZS EV SE Long Range (With PiCG) | GBP 29,495 |
| ZS EV Trophy Long Range | GBP 33,495 |
| ZS EV Trophy Connect Long Range | GBP 33,995 |
MG Motor triples sales in 2021
MG Motor recorded strong sales growth in 2021 after a sluggish 2020. In Mainland Europe, MG Motor sold 21,946 vehicles in 2021 compared to 7,200 units in 2020; the UK added another 30,600 cars taking the total sales to 52,546 in Europe. France and Sweden clocked maximum sales in Mainland Europe with over 4,500 units each. MG says that the ZS EV is the most popular MG car in Europe, with France as its largest market.
Featured Image Source: MG
With a Master’s Degree in Business Management & Administration, I’ve been working as an International Automotive News Editor since 2014, and have gained a wealth of knowledge and insight into hybrid and electric vehicles.
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