MG unwraps ES5, a ZS EV successor bound for Europe?

SAIC, the mother company of the now Chinese MG brand, has unwrapped the fully electric MG ES5, a compact SUV, likely to succeed in the current very popular MG ZS EV. This one is  153 mm longer and 40 mm wider but stands around 4 mm lower on its wheels than the outgoing car.

Although not officially confirmed yet, the car was seen—heavily camouflaged—testing in the Czech Republic in August of this year, which indicates that it is likely destined for the European market.

Prices under €20,000

In China, prices are expected to range from 100,000 to 150,000 yuan (€12,900 to €19,368), while the current ZS EV starts at €30,885 in Belgium as one of the most affordable EVS on the market. However, SAIC, like all others that didn’t cooperate with the EU’s investigation, faces Europe’s highest import tariff of 35,3% on top of the existing 10%.

MG develops its vehicles in Europe but produces them in China. In July 2023, it told the Reuters press agency it plans to build a factory for electric cars in Europe and is looking for a location without giving more details.

The MG brand, currently still the best-selling Chinese EV in Europe, is hatching a plan to export its popular MG4 model straight out of its Thai manufacturing plant to sail around the EU’s maximum import tax.

Family compact SUV

The MG ES5 – renamed from S5 in China – debuted on October 15 and is positioned as a family compact SUV. It offers three (CLTC) ranges: 425 km, 515 km, and 525 km, depending on the lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack of 49.1 kWh or 62.2 kWh, supplied by the CATL-SAIC joint venture. This one, both companies claim, has a thickness of 110 mm and is the world’s thinnest.

Though more significant than the current ZS EV, it is still a compact SUV with measurements of 4,476/1,849/1,621 mm (l/w/h), respectively, and a wheelbase of 2,730 mm. The curb weight is very reasonable for an EV, with 1,685 kg to 1,740 kg.

The MG ES5 builds on SAIC’s Nebula architecture further. The rear-wheel version delivers a maximum power of 125 kW (168 hp) and a peak torque of 250 Nm. It needs 8 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h, and the top speed is 170 km/h.