SAIC Motor Philippines, Inc. (SMPI), the new exclusive distributor of MG vehicles in the country springs a surprise with their first product offering: the all-electric MG 4 EV. This compact, all-electric hatchback marks a new milestone not just for MG Motor, but for the potential widespread adoption of EVs by being the first to reach a price parity with combustion engine and hybrid models of the same size.
The MG 4 EV rides on a brand-new, bespoke EV platform dubbed the Modular Scalable Platform or MSP. This helps it deliver impressively compact dimensions and exceptional design, while promising excellent driving behavior with high levels of electrical efficiency.
For the Philippine market, the MG 4 EV comes in two variants: the Std (Standard) and the Lux (Luxury). The most important differentiation is its rear wheel-driven electric motor and battery. The MG 4 EV STD comes with a 170 horsepower (125 kW) motor and a 51-kWh lithium iron phosphate battery. Meanwhile, the MG 4 EV LUX has a 203 horsepower (150 kW) motor and a 64-kWh nickel cobalt manganese battery. Torque and top speed are the same on both variants—250 Nm and 160 km/h, respectively, while range is set at 350 kilometers for the MG 4 EV STD, while the MG 4 EV LUX goes up to 435 kilometers.
The MG 4 EV’s MSP platform gives it one of the thinnest batteries in its class. At a height of just 110 mm, it’s even thinner than a can of Coke. This helps imbue it with a low center of gravity and a 50/50 weight distribution. It features front MacPherson Struts and a complex five-link single-wheel suspension at the back. Paired with a dual pinion electric power steering system, it creates a vehicle that’s agile and easy to maneuver (turning circle is as tight as 5.3 meters).
Design-wise, the MG 4 EV is the result of a global development team based in Shanghai and London. At 4,287 mm long, 1,836 mm wide and just 1,504 mm tall, the five-door hatchback fits perfectly into the competitive landscape. Its long wheelbase of 2,705 mm provides attractive proportions and plenty of interior space – even for a family of five. The luggage compartment capacity is between 350 and 1,165 liters by volume.
Striking LED headlights and tilted upright indicators give it an unmistakable front-end. 17-inch alloy wheels with aero covers and low-resistance 215/55R17 tires fill in the wheel arches, while at the back, the LED taillights have an interconnected design. The low co-efficient of drag (0.27 to 0.287) is emphasized by its dual-wing roof spoiler.
Inside, the MG 4 EV goes minimalistic, emphasizing simplicity, technology, and quality. It makes do without a traditional starter button. Starting it requires the simple presence of the smart key fob. From there, the floating design of the center console creates more space and integrates items such as a smartphone storage and a wireless charging pad. The driver has a 7-inch digital instrument cluster, while at the center is a floating-style 10.25-inch screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
In terms of safety, the MG 4 EV comes with a series of advanced driver assistance and safety features. Features include Front Collision Warning (FCW) and Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) as well as Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Lane Keeping Assistance (LKA). A 360-degree camera is also available in the MG 4 EV LUX variant.
The MG 4 EV comes with a 5-year bumper-to-bumper warranty and an 8-year EV battery warranty. Prices start at P 1,468,888 for the MG 4 EV STD variant and P 1,738,888 for the MG 4 EV LUX variant.
Wow. The pricing is a steal for a global EV-only platform model.
ReplyDeleteNice
ReplyDeleteBYD dolphin killer
ReplyDeleteThe interior of the BYD Dolphin is what killed it, IMO.
DeleteVery affordable prices
ReplyDeleteInstant best seller from SAIC Motor Philippines
Absolutely I'm 101% convinced that This MG EV4 std variant will storm the market by wide margin against all competitions. Those who doubt and contemplating to buy the EV now it's time. With only 1.46M you can never go wrong with Morris Garrage 4 and back by the Biggest motor company in China's SAIC.
ReplyDeleteA true market disruptor from MG! good job SAIC Phils!
ReplyDeleteByd has the Atto 3 coming hope it’s even priced lower. Things are getting better for the low end market.
ReplyDeleteAyala manages BYD now lol. Don't expect them to price the Atto 3 lower than this, especially if you have seen how they price Volkswagen cars recently with the Tharu.
DeleteEveryone will probably be disappointed once ACM finally brings in the BYD Seagull. Going by its history, it might launch the car way above the one million mark. The Zobel scion needs to sit back and watch how other carmakers are pricing their vehicles. SAIC just gave everyone in the industry a masterclass on how to provide customers value for their money.
DeleteConsidering the MG 4 Std and the Wuling Bingo 333KM Edition for my first Pure EV. The MG starts at around 1.5M, while the Wuling tops out at around 1M. Both have similar ranges at more than 300km, but the Bingo's top speed caps out at 100kph while the MG 4 tops out at 160kph. The MG also has the longer warranty coverage, which will probably matter a lot for an EV. Will mostly use it for city drives, but with the occasional provincial trips through the expressways. Thoughts? 1.5M is too rich for my taste for what in essence is a "toy purchase" for me.
ReplyDeleteSanaol may 1M budget for toys... As for my opinion, 500k is a big stretch for near identical mileage. That's 50%! Pero, the extra hp of the MG 4 will come in handy sa expressway. Kulang ang 100km/h sa NLEX. The longer warranty also helps for peace of mind, lalo na bago palang ang EV dito. Madami din dealers ang MG kumpara kay Wuling na parang 1 lang ata, correct me if I'm wrong. Lahat ng convenience na kay MG, but Wuling's value proposition is hard to pass up. Very hard choice to make, but if I were the one choosing, and money is not tight, I'll have to go with the MG 4 over the Wuling Bingo. Medyo hindi kasi ako kampante kay Wuling. Just my two cents though...
DeleteThanks for the reply. I'm stumped because, as you've said, the price difference is a whopping 50%. Also, if I'm going with the MG 4, I might as well go all the way and get the Lux Edition. I also have space constraints which complicates things even further. My garage only has 3 slots and they're all occupied. I've already checked the Wuling Bingo's dimensions and it can easily fit in the slot occupied by my Audi TT Mk2. Judging from the photos here, the MG 4 is the size of a normal sub-compact. If so, it definitely won't fit inside my cramped garage, and my only option is to get rid of one of my cars. I just bought my other 2 cars this year, the Mazda CX-5 AWD this January and the Ford Territory Titanium X this August. I really don't want to get rid of any of them this soon. The Audi TT Mk2 is my hobby car, I tinker with it myself and invested good money on VAG-specific software and hardware for it. I'd sooner dispose of any of my 2 newer cars before I let go of my Audi TT. Decisions, decisions...
DeleteBoth MG and Wuling are under SAIC, so the underpinnings should roughly be the same. Local dealer access is one of the big differentiators between the two. Another big difference between the two is that MG is locally distributed by a SAIC subsidiary while Wuling is under a rando distributor. You still can't ask around for testimonials on Wuling's after sales since it's still a very new brand here, but you can try asking Macaron and Gameboy owners for their ownership experience.
DeleteI saw the Willing Bingo at MOA last month. Exterior looks to me like a PT Cruiser crossed with a Suzuki Swift, you'll draw eyeballs with it for sure. The interior is just okay, nothing fancy, but it's a sub 1m car so don't expect too much in the first place. Deliveries will start January 2024, according to the agent manning the pop up booth.
DeleteSir Uly, why don't we have prices of Wuling vehicles in this site?
DeleteWuling has no official presence in the country yet. What they have is several distributors working independently from each other.
DeleteThanks for the insights, I greatly appreciate it! Funny coincidence, SM MOA is also where I chanced upon the Wuling Bingo for the first time and I was captivated by it's cute size and style ever since. I wasn't aware that Wuling's local presence was not at an official capacity. I would need a strong warranty for my peace of mind, we're talking about EVs after all. Just because I said this was a toy purchase for me doesn't mean I'm out to throw money away. I guess I'll be visiting an MG dealer tomorrow to have a better look at the MG 4, hopefully they'll have a unit at the premises. By the way, I've been reading more about EVs recently and the topic about NMC and LFP keeps popping up. I've read that LFP is the better choice due to it lasting up to twice the battery cycle of NMC batteries. What do you think is the better battery technology, specifically for our tropical climate? MG 4 Std comes with LFP, while the longer range Lux comes with NMC. I'd have to settle for the MG 4 Std if I'll be going with LFP, which I'm fine with if it's truly the superior technology around. Thanks again!
DeleteJust got back from my nearest MG dealer, and, I have to say, we're being short-changed here. The MG 4 Standard doesn't even come with something as basic as a reversing camera. It doesn't come with power folding mirrors, and, get this, it even comes fitted with steel rims! At 1.5M! You have to spring up an additional 300K and get the Lux if you want such basic features, but I would rather have the Standard's LFP battery rather than the Lux's NMC battery pack. I was expecting to get at least some decent equipment as standard at 1.5M, was it wrong of me to hope for something as little as that? Checking MG 4 specs in other countries, we're definitely getting the short end of the stick. It's not enough that we have to pay more for our cars in this country, we also have to get watered down versions to boot. What a double-whammy! Mark me as unimpressed and no longer interested in an EV, at least for now. Perhaps a better valued EV will officially come to our shores soon. You blew it MG, you almost had a sale!
DeleteSir Uly, can't wait for your proper review of this market-disruptor product. However, my concern is: will it do well with the sporadic floods of NCR?
ReplyDeleteThe battery itself is sealed so there's no issue there. Can't speak about the MG 4, but the Hyundai Ioniq 6 went through the San Simon flood no issue.
DeleteI'm not a fan of chinese cars but this is priced right for an EV. By the time the warranty expires, it'll surely fall apart but by then its time to sell the vehicle.
ReplyDeleteMainstream brands withstood the china ICE cars onslaught but on EV's they wont stand a change and will be overwhelmed specially on low to mid costs.
ReplyDeleteEven Honda felt the heat from Chinese EVs, going so far as to admit that the Japanese have been left behind by the Chinese, at least in this segment.
DeleteJap brands can still catch up, but i think it will take them at least 3-5 years. Jap brands the king on hybrids but left behind on EV's. Instead of using in house EV batteries - Toyota now will used LG EV batteries to immediately catch up on EV's
DeleteEV cars are literally disposable. Once the battery dies, you can't use it unless you replace it. And that will cost you a lot of money.
DeleteBYD should bring the seagull
ReplyDeleteOfficially, it's the Atto 3 first. It'll be followed by more variants of existing models...like the Dolphin will receive a smaller battery version (40 kWh) soon. This will likely be priced at, or lower, than the MG 4.
DeleteDolphin's price in Malaysia I think is equivalent to around 1.3M Php, so if BYD cannot price it the same as or below the MG4 with the same equipment, it will be dead in the water. The seagull might have a chance if they can price it within 1M Php price range to compete with the Wuling Bingo.
DeleteWith ACM distributing BYDs, I'm not hopeful at all. The ball is in their court to prove me wrong though.
DeleteI wonder what would it's resale value be like in a few years time. Also, I'm concerned regarding its reliability since almost all electronic devices break over time whether we like it or not.
ReplyDeleteTo those scared of China quality think of this.
ReplyDeleteChina knew they can't catch up with the legacy cars like Ford, Toyota and the Mercedes, BMWs who've been around hundreds of years in perfecting the more than 1,000 + parts of ICE vehicles. They knew the only way to leapfrog these companies is to go EV full throttle. So they did, EVs have only 100 + parts to master the quality. Much much easier to attain the quality standards of the old-named car companies. So for that reason, if you have China quality anxiety then don't buy ICE powered China cars. But EVs they're the best now.
In terms of EVs, Tesla and the Chinese have the upper hand.
DeleteCalling Elon! 3:)
ReplyDeleteBye2x leaf
ReplyDelete