It feels as though the RMCO period has been a great time for spy shots in Malaysia. Just this week alone, we’ve seen photos circulating of the Kia Seltos, Mitsubishi Xpander and now this – the all-electric MG EZS (sometimes styled eZS or e-ZS).
DSF.my reader Roaquin Radzmund Francis spotted these right-hand drive units in red and ‘London Bridge Blue’ (behind) parked outside of Berjaya Times Square in Kuala Lumpur. Now, we’re not sure if the location where the car was spotted is important, but we have to entertain the possibility that Berjaya Group are interested in bringing in the MG brand. After all, they’ve represented a good mix of car brands such as Skoda and Mazda.
The MG EZS is actually a lot more than just another all-electric crossover. I think whoever is looking at distributing it in Malaysia knows just how value-conscious customers here can be. Let’s take a look at how much more value-for money this little crossover can deliver compared to its direct rivals.
Who are its rivals?
MG themself say they’re positioning the EZS crossover to take on hatchback rivals like the current Nissan LEAF and Volkswagen e-Golf. That alone should tell us that MG have got a better idea of what the market wants – crossovers over hatchbacks any day and in almost any country.
The EZS has a lightweight lithium battery with higher energy density than its two closest rivals. That means the vehicle itself is lighter and has a higher battery capacity than the LEAF and e-Golf. Just take a look at these numbers:
While its range is not quite as good as the LEAF’s according to NEDC standards, it is slightly faster off the line and up to 50km/h. Getting to 100km/h is done marginally faster in the LEAF, but the EZS has a comfortable lead over the e-GOLF. The EZS has 3 drive modes and a rotary “gear” selector.
Overnight charging is done in just 6.5 hours with AC charging, while DC charging recovers 80% of battery life in just 30 minutes. What’s more, MG are prepared to guarantee 70% of the original battery life for 8 years or 200,000km.
The battery conforms to global standards, and is fit for sale in European markets as it has been tested to against the US UL2580 standard which covers damage from:
- Short circuits
- Dust
- Extrusions
- Smoke
- Soaks
- Fire
- Collision
- Fall
The Nissan LEAF currently costs RM181K fully-imported from Japan. How much would a car like the MG EZS have to cost to convince YOU to try something all-electric out from a brand like MG?
