The MG 4 is already one in every of Australia’s most cost-effective electrical vehicles, however that apparently isn’t sufficient for the Chinese language model.
UK publication Auto Specific studies MG is engaged on a smaller – suppose round MG 3-size – car to fit in beneath the MG 4.
MG Motor UK’s head of product and planning, David Allison, informed the outlet the mission is already in progress.
“I’ve seen it already, in actual fact. I don’t see any cause why it shouldn’t fly. It’s most likely a few years away, perhaps 18 months, so we’re speaking second half of 2025. However we’ll get there,” stated Mr Allison.
“I believe everybody appears to be trying in that space for the time being – B-segment or simply under it, round 4 metres in size, with that magic €20,000 [$33,068) price bracket.
“If anyone’s going to do that, we should be right there… It’s a combination of range, size and price – and if you hit all those three, you’ll nail it.”
The 4287mm-long MG 4 currently opens at $39,990 before on-road costs in Australia, just above the similarly sized Dolphin from rival Chinese brand BYD – which already has a smaller sibling in the 3780mm-long Seagull that’s not offered here.
In Germany, the MG 4 opens at €34,990 (A$57,846).
Technically, MG already has an EV smaller than the MG 4 in the Comet offered in India, though it’s a rebadged Wuling Air and won’t be sold in markets like Australia. There doesn’t appear to be any plans to sell it in Europe, either.
As to what name the new model will wear, MG 2 appears likely.
“It’ll probably get a new name but it would sit quite nicely within the existing convention,” said Mr Allison.
“If you said MG 2 then you wouldn’t be a million miles away; 2 is the next step.”
MG’s naming structure confusingly doesn’t demarcate its combustion-powered and electric vehicles. The MG 4 and MG 5 sedan are both small cars, for example, but the former is electric and the latter (in Australia) is larger and has petrol power but costs less.
The brand also has two different MG 5s, depending on the market: one petrol (the sedan sold here), one electric (a wagon sold in Europe).
The MG 2 could be smaller than the MG 3, a redesigned version of which will launch in Australia in July with available hybrid power, but come with a higher price tag.
It’s unclear whether this new model will be offered in Australia.
The company is busily expanding its electric vehicle (EV) lineup in Australia, with the Cyberster roadster revealed last year to sit at the top.
A new version of the Marvel R crossover is also due and will be produced in right-hand drive, and MG says there’s a strong likelihood it will be brought here.