Will ZS EV be the first and last EV series from MG China in the short to medium term?

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KasEV

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Hi Folks,
This week I and my EV boffins have been taking a look at what is happening with EV production in China and the ability of Chinese producers to turn prototypes to production cars and cars which are sold on the international market.
It was with much surprise that we found over 100 Chinese EV related firms which were very active and relatively very successful on the local Chinese market have all gone down siting Tesla's success in China as the number one cause of their demise. On the international scene, they have described competing with Tesla as futile.
All said and done it seems that Chinese projections are that Tesla will take over the Chinese EV market as the largest producer in China in 3 to 5years and that it will take local Chinese companies up to 10 or 15 years to compete.
What do members think about this.
What are the vibes out in there.......
Do you think MG stands a chance?
It is funny as some of SAIC/MG collaborators seem poised to work with Tesla on their long range/high battery capacity/affordable concepts and do not seem happy to work with MG on similar projects.
What do you think?
I am told MG ZS EV is doing very poorly in China. Is this True?
A Chinese guy told me that on most days one can walk into a Dealership and drive out with an MG in China but most Chinese would rather wait for over 12 months on a Tesla waiting list than buy the MG ZS EV. Just can not believe that!!!!
Apparently even among the low income earners who hardly are able to afford a car in China, given the option they will all go for a Tesla. Not really sure why this is so.
Is the ZS EV that inferior?
Some analysts seem to think the heat is on MG in regards to Tesla's never ending success and hence MG may curtail EV activity till they are sure it is commercially viable to compete with Tesla. What do you think?
 
There are lots of reports on Tesla taking over the world. If I could justify the costs I would have bought a Tesla instead. Tesla operate in a different market sector to MG. MG manufacture there own batteries and are due to introduce an EV estate car soon so they’re not out of the game any time soon.
 
Let's hope so.
The collaboration that produces MG batteries are said to be the same that will do batteries for the next generation Tesla long range affordable cars. This same collaboration do not have any plans for MG. If the "temperature" of Chinese EV market is a true mirror image of the world EV market then ' there may be trouble ahead...'
According to some analyst the ZS EV is struggling even in the low cost EV market in China. It is deemed too costly for the low cost market and too inferior for the medium and high cost markets.
The medium cost market in China is dominated by other brands not MG ZS EV.
Since SAIC/MG gospel if one of profit, profit profit with minimal tech advancement as possible some do not have hope for the ZS EV as the EV market is being pushed to max up tech advancement.
Also BAIC another of China's big cooperations leads the local Chinese Market. In world terms, BAIC is the leading producer of '' street/highway driveable EVs".
It seems the low and medium cost EV market in China will be for the BAIC/Mercedes/Hyundai group for a very long time to come while SAIC/MG/VW group seem to be struggling in these EV markets.
I do not see how SAIC/MG/VW group EV's will compete and out pace Tesla and BAIC/Mercedes/Hyundai group EV's in the near future.
I truly hope SAIC prove me wrong but my bet is that their profit, profit gospel may push them to do something with Tesla which will make them maximise profits rather than struggle with ZS EV.
For now let's make the best of our ZS EV and enjoy it.
 
There was recently a very interesting version of "Fully Charged" on Utube, looking at the Chinese market, they even have their own correspondent in China . Apparently the Chinese are doing a Tesla look alike, and a very cheap small EV....worth searching out
 
@Chrispydoc,
You are right. All sort of interesting EV's in the making in China. Previously liked reading about them but now such things make me wonder if I should have waited a year or two before buying an EV.
What do you think?
 
Hi Folks,
Has anyone heard of Maple X EV SUV?
Apparently it is far and above the ZS EV and is ready for mass production from the Fengsheng Automotive Technology / VOLVO Group.
Apparently it has all the seriousness of a VOLVO plus tech fabulousness of Chinese Tech.
Apparently price will be about 15,000 euros or less entry price.
 
Well Roewe is doing well in China and Asia so SAIC may consider making the MG and Roewe EV range one and the same.
 
Considering we are literally a few weeks away from getting the next MG EV, the MG5 Estate car, the answer is of course no!

Hopefully within 2 years we'll then be getting production version of the e-motion sports car EV. If we don't I'll be getting an Audi e-tron GT instead!
 
@Paulie68,
You are right.
I am presenting a less optimistic picture to simulate debate but I am sure MG will make an effort to keep their EV brand on the market.
 
KasEV said:
Hi Folks,
Has anyone heard of Maple X EV SUV?
Apparently it is far and above the ZS EV and is ready for mass production from the Fengsheng Automotive Technology / VOLVO Group.
Apparently it has all the seriousness of a VOLVO plus tech fabulousness of Chinese Tech.
Apparently price will be about 15,000 euros or less entry price.
Click to expand...

The Maple X is a re-badged Kandi product, it's most certainly not "far and above" the ZS EV!!

It has a baby sister though which is about the cutest car I've ever seen:

kandi-k22_100692926_h.jpg
 
Chrispydoc said:
There was recently a very interesting version of "Fully Charged" on Utube, looking at the Chinese market, they even have their own correspondent in China . Apparently the Chinese are doing a Tesla look alike, and a very cheap small EV....worth searching out
Click to expand...
This looks good if it ever gets to the UK, I probably won't get to my 2/3 year service
 
@Phil752,
As a pensioner, the XPENG P7 is out of my price range but it is truly a very smooth car and it seems to be causing a headache for Tesla as the young and middle class Chinese do often have a patriotic pull to Chinese products of excellence. The Bentley and Rolls Chinese generation seem to have now faded away into the older mega rich Chinese.
 
Folks, this is what the Maple X looks like

maple-30x.jpg


@Paulie68,....
When I say it is far and above the ZS EV, what I mean is that for the poor man on the street like myself the Maple X is super valve for money. It has a better range than ZS EV and has all the tech features of ZS EV and well maybe even a bit more in the premium spec. The only draw back is that it is much slower than the ZS EV but is also cost half the price of a ZS EV and is currently the cheapest eSUV in the world. To me it is actual excellent valve for money. What we have with the ZS EV is the SAIC approach of minimal tech for max profit and not true value for money. I remain absolutely convinced that for the same price SAIC/MG could have offered the ZS EV with a larger battery and over 200 miles range. That would have made the ZS EV truly good valve for money.
I like the ZS EV but I also feel "short changed" by MG/SAIC so far as it's RANGE and tech is concerned.
Just consider the MG 5 EV which will now be on sale in the next few months. It is £25K, has a range over 200miles and apparently better tech with a somewhat worst interior design than the ZS EV. Some reviewers think it is better value for money than ZS EV.
It is not a new MG design it is basically the 2018 Roewe Ei5 with a MG badge so I personally do not take it as a new MG. The MG 5 EV however proves the fact that SAIC could have put 52kWh batteries plus better tech and over 200miles range in the ZS EV for the price they are selling the ZS EV for.
 
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You can never have too many choices......it would be nice to see these news cars in the flesh...so to speak. And to have them available to buy.:)......its all good news for affordable EV's. The futures bright...the futures Battery.....IMO
 
Here it is in it's Kandi EX3 guise:

Auto-sales-statistics-China-Geely-Kandi_EX3-EV.jpg


It's a nice looking car and I do agree it would be nice to see it here, but I doubt it will ever get here. These are pretty much Geely domestic market brands. Geely give us the Volvo EV's instead, unfortunately with a far more "western market" price tag!!
 
Yes, we will have to wait and see.
MG may yet surprise us and bring something truly MG such as the MG E-Motion and MG X-Motion to the market soon but I doubt it.
MG/SAIC in my opinion has let the ZS EV down as a model. It seems they will allow it to die a natural death and it will be forgotten as the so called fiagship EV that was to gain MG a fully pledged EV manufacturer status on the UK/ International market. Something about the ZS EV makes me feel it may become a "nothing l can remember" just like BYD did with the BYD e6.
Does anyone remember the Chinese BYD e6 from about 2004 to 2010/2011?
It was the first full electric Chinese car to be sold in UK. It was said to be a best seller in China but died on the UK market.
I bet most of you are car enthusiast but may never have heard of BYD e6 and it's experience in the UK/EU/US. I feel that same fate awaits the ZS EV.
For the MG 5 EV, I do understand SAIC / MG approach. It is exactly in line with their doctrine of "maximum profit at lowest cost and lowest tech input" .
Basically MG 5 EV cost them nothing virtually nothing in development cost because it the 2018 Roewe Ei5 with a MG badge.
The Roewe Ei5 can be argued also cost SAIC very little in development cost because it was a 2014 platform they got from General Motors during their collaboration with this USA car gaint. One may argue therefore that what one gets with a MG 5 EV is a discarded 2014 American tech+ platform with a new electric power train.
To SAIC and indeed to several business analyst this approach makes absolute sense.
From my car enthusiast /customer view point, when any car manufacturer brings a new car unto the market in a year say AAAA then I will look out for features in it that are AAAA plus one or two years ahead.
In the case of the MG5EV the car seems to out in year AAAA with features that are minus 5 years behind.
Same situation with ZS EV when it come out in 2019 without delayed charging the various tech that we all believe every modern EV needs. It was out in 2019 but in some tech areas it was a 2015 product or even earlier.
Let me stop ranting.
Just one last comment. To me SAIC approach works only in high demand/ low or mixed quality / non-transparent chioce /artificial pricing situations. This is or rather has been to some extent the exact situation in the Chinese EV market and now internationally as well. That is due to subsidies and Covid / post Covid economic stimulus etc. /The Tesla effect etc
Once some of these conditions resolve SAIC will find it difficult to sell the ZS EV and MG 5 EV in the UK/EU/USA markets.
Four things need to happen for any new SAIC/ MG EV and the ZS EV and MG 5 EV to succeed in UK/EU /USA.
1. Improve range to above 210miles.
2. Ensure maximum price without subsidies is well below £25K for the current EVs
3. Update tech so the cars feels like and looks a true 2020s car not a beefed up 2010 car.
4. Make new EVs that the MG buyers and other car buyers want to buy. One with the old longstanding MG wow-factor.
I think there is an element of the Chinese having an attitude of that customers have no true choice. Attitude that this or the their is what MG have the customer who must take it at the price dictated. That must change to what would the customers like?. Yes customers MG has noted what you want. It is impossible to satisfy everyone but MG will do its best to bring in to life the customers wishes at a reasonable price. That is the approach needed.
I do not think MG will to any of these four so I do not see a bright future ahead. I may be completely wrong.
Well history repeats itself does it?
So will BYD e5 version 2020 plus be a SAIC/MG product.?????
 
ging353 said:
Why is every one worrying about what is round the corner....You have just bought an MG ZS EV with a 7 year warranty......just get in the damn thing ........drive it ........and enjoy it.
Click to expand...

For me it matters, I'm only driving a ZS EV because it has an electric power train for the right price. I don't even like the SUV style much! So the sooner we get a sports coupe EV the better! In the mean time, I am loving it though. ;)
 
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I am, I do and I particularily love the SUV look and ride height.

I also occasionally enjoy driving 'Lower' cars.......but after being caught out on yet another session of motorway driving in heavy rain.......I suddenly remember why I like SUV's so much! :oops:
 
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