MG’s Latest EV Offering is its First European Release Based on SAIC Motor’s New MSP

MG recently unveiled a new all-electric hatchback named the ‘MG4 Electric’, a European
counterpart to the Chinese market’s more playfully branded ‘MG Mulan’. This latest EV
offering will be the company’s first European release based on SAIC Motor’s new MSP
(Modular Scalable Platform) architecture.

MG boasts flexibility as a key feature of the new MSP, and it’s clear to see why. The
platform supports a wheelbase range of 2650mm to 3100mm, allowing for several body
styles to be built upon the same platform (e.g., Hatchback, SUV, Vans). We can be almost
certain that this functionality won’t go underused, so it will be interesting to see what other
projects MG has in store for us.

The electronic drive unit operates at a system voltage of 400V, which can be upgraded to
800V for faster battery charging (more on the battery later). The prospect of being able to
change your vehicle’s battery as your needs change is an exciting idea in the world of
electric vehicles, however it will be interesting to see how this plays out in practice
regarding cost.

The new platform is also kitted out with SAIC Motor’s smart-driving solution PP-CEM (Pixel
Point Cloud Comprehensive Environmental Mapping). They say this is used for autonomous
driving solutions. Little has been disclosed regarding the role this piece of technology will
play in the MG4, but I’m sure we can expect to learn more as we get closer to the car’s
release.

The vehicle will initially be made available with 51kWh and 64kWh battery capacities, with
the former boasting a 350km range and the latter a 450km range. The MG4 does 0 to
100km/h in less than 8 seconds and has a top speed of 160km/h.

The MG4 is 4287mm long, 1836mm wide and comes in at a height of just 1504mm. Its low
height can be attributed to a new flat battery system dubbed ‘ONE PACK’. The new system
comprises horizontally arranged battery cells which allow for a minimum battery height of
110mm and ultimately more interior space for passengers, something that can only be seen
as a win.

Speaking of space, the vehicle is said to comfortably fit 5 people and has a 50:50 weight
distribution. While this, in theory, points towards the MG4 being a family-friendly vehicle
with solid handling, we won’t know how well MG’s new EV offering drives until we can get
our hands on it (as is often the case).

MG has confirmed that they have more MG4 EV variants in the pipeline, so it will be
interesting to see the role the new modular MSP plays in the development of these variants.

The MG4 Electric is scheduled for a European market launch in Q4 of this year.