MG Motor India has launched its third all-electric offering in the form of Windsor EV, at a starting price of Rs 9.99 lakh (ex-showroom). The brand has achieved this aggressive pricing by eliminating the cost of the battery from the price. Instead, MG has introduced a unique service called the “Battery-as-a-Service” rental program for the Windsor, where EV owners can lease/subscribe to a battery rather than purchasing it outright with the vehicle. Having said that, you pay for the battery usage separately, which is charged at ₹3.5 per kilometre.
MG Windsor EV Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) Rental Program – How Does It Work?
- Pay for Usage: As mentioned above, customers will need to pay ₹3.5 per km for the battery as they use the car.
- Minimum Payment: You must pay for at least 1,500 km of usage upfront, which costs ₹5,250 (₹3.5 x 1,500 km).
- Additional Charging Cost: On top of this, you’ll also have to cover the cost of charging the battery, which is separate from the rental fee. But to soften the impact of these additional costs, MG is offering free fast charging at their eHUB charging network for the first year, but only for an initial batch of customers (exact numbers haven’t been revealed yet.)
- Benefit of BaaS: The main benefit is that you get to buy the EV at a cheaper price compared to other electric cars, since the battery (a costly component) isn’t part of the upfront payment.
Must Read: MG Windsor EV Variants Explained – Excite, Exclusive and Essence
Warranty and Buy Back Program
MG also offers a buyback plan where the car retains 60% of its value after 3 years or 45,000 km, whichever comes first. Additionally, the first owner benefits from a lifetime battery warranty, but if the car is sold, the warranty reverts to 8 years or 1.6 lakh km, whichever is earlier.
MG Windsor EV: Powertrain
Powering the MG Windsor EV is a 38kWh battery pack that promises a range of 331 kilometres on a single charge. It powers the front-axle mounted PMS motor that makes 136PS of max power and 200Nm of peak torque.
Rivals
The MG Windsor EV falls in the same price bracket as the Tata Punch EV, but it also serves as a viable alternative to the Tata Nexon EV and Mahindra XUV400.
