After
debuting with Hector, India’s first internet SUV powered by an IC engine, MG
Motor India has now unveiled India’s first pure electric internet SUV, the ZS
EV. The electric SUV was unveiled in New Delhi.
The
ZS EV from MG Motor India comes with an all-new, advanced 44.5 kWh, liquid-cooled
NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) battery from CATL, one of the world’s largest
battery manufacturers. This gives the car a travel range of 340 kilometers on a
full charge. It delivers 353 Nm of instant torque and 141hp of peak power,
accomplishing 100 kmph from a standstill in 8.5 seconds.
Indian
customers will now have another choice in the space of electric passenger
vehicles. Mahindra Electric is the oldest player here with the boxy looking E2O
which does not have many takers among car buyers. Both Mahindra and Tata have
converted some of their vehicles into electric models which have buyers mainly
in the government sector. Hyundai launched the Kona sometime back but it has been
moderately successful. The Kona SUV has been priced at Rs 23.71 lakh. It has a
full battery range of 452 km on a single charge as certified by ARAI. It does a
0 to 100km in 9.7 seconds. It has a battery capacity of 39.2KWh. MG Motor India
has, however, yet to announce the price of its new ZS.
MG
Motor India has partnered with various global and local players in the EV field
for its multi-step charging ecosystem that is aimed at fulfilling ZS EV
customer requirements. Each ZS EV comes with an on-board cable to charge
anywhere and an AC fast charger for charging at homes/offices. The carmaker is
also setting up a DC Super-Fast charging network at select MG showrooms and plans
to create an extended charging network across MG dealerships in select
satellite cities along key routes. Through Super-Fast DC chargers (50 kW), the
ZS EV will reach 80% battery capacity within 50 minutes while AC fast chargers
installed at homes will take around 6 - 8 hours for a full charge.
The
ZS EV comes with a unique Breathable Glow Logo that shows the vehicle charging
status. This electric internet SUV has an inbuilt PM 2.5 filter to help MG
customers breathe pure air. The CO2 Saver feature in the head unit also
displays how much CO2 customers have saved as they drive the car, showing them
exactly what they are doing to change, what they can.
The
ZS’s sky roof covers 90% of the total roof area. MG’s ingenious positioning of
the battery pack underneath the car ensures no compromise in cabin or storage
space and achieves a low centre of gravity that makes the ZS EV handle well.
It
has three driving modes and three levels of regenerative braking which can be
tailored to suit individual driver preferences. The ZS EV features the
exclusive and updated iSMART EV 2.0, powered by an all-new 6-core processor
that promises a seamless user experience. The iSMART EV 2.0 has an inbuilt
embedded SIM providing internet on board and can also be connected to an external
Wi-Fi connection. This unique, industry-first capability allows users to
connect their ZS EVs to their home networks and mobile hotspots, making it the
first truly connected electric car in the country.
It
also comes with features like search charging stations nearby, CO2 saved and
360 Spider which helps users to find charging stations when the remaining range
is less than 50km.The iSMART 2.0also comes with all the internet car features
like connected mobility enabled by Cisco and Unlimit, cloud computing via
Microsoft Azure, over the air updates, real-time maps with charging station
locator from TomTom, music from Gaana App and weather by Accuweather. The new
improved 2.0 solution also comes with a new graphic interface and improved
hardware.