Wuling’s tiny bare-bone EV, the Hongguang Mini, is doing phenomena sales in China. And now, MG Motors is gearing up to launch a premium version of this hot-selling tiny EV in India (codenamed E230) that will be based on the Wuling Air EV and will underpin the company’s Global Small Electric Vehicles (GSEV) platform. It is likely to be priced below Rs 10 lakh.
Globally, the Wuling Air EV comes in two versions: a short wheelbase (SWB) for 2 passengers and a long-wheelbase (LWB) version ideal for 4 passengers. Official details about its India-bound version are yet to be revealed, but we expect the brand to launch its LWB iteration in India, measuring 2974mm in length, with a wheelbase of 2010mm.
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The Wuling Air EV comes fitted with a lithium-ion phosphate battery powering the front-wheel-drive electric motor that is good enough to deliver 41PS of maximum grunt. Yes, the battery pack is not known at the moment, but its Indian-bound model is likely to get a battery pack of around 20kWh to 25kWh capacity, which should deliver a true driving range of over 150 kilometers on a single charge. Its battery management system and thermal efficiency will also be revised as per Indian climate conditions. Expect it to offer a top speed of 100kmph as its Chinese counterpart.
MG E230 EV (rebadged Wuling Air EV) – Design
Talking about the design, the Wuling Air EV sports a boxy silhouette, with its front facia featuring a full-width light bar, along with a chrome strip connecting the door-mounted ORVMs. At the rear, the tiny electric car features a red light bar with width covering the company’s badge just below it. However, it will be replaced by MG’s brand logo in its India-bound version. On the sides, there are large doors covering almost the entire length of the EV. Also, there’s a rear-side window, placed slightly lower than the door window.
Expect MG Air electrified vehicle to come with just a basic set of features like a manual air-conditioning system, power windows, a digital instrument cluster, an in-car entertainment system, keyless entry, and much more.
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Expected Unveil In India
While its official arrival date is yet to be revealed, we expect MG to unveil the E230 in India at the 2023 Auto Expo.
