MG has carried over the combus­tion look of the ZS to the EV mod­el and, frankly, it is the best deci­sion they’ve made, as the ZS was already such a handsome looker. The only difference you will able to notice straightaway is the sealed front grille, just as in any other EV. But in the ZS EV, the MG logo on the front grille doubles up as a cover that houses the charging port of the vehicle. Apart from that it is the same beautiful front with the chrome border similar to what you’d find on a Mazda CX-3 and the huge MG logo is very VW. The headlights with their sharp DRLs is similar to a Mazda CX-5; we don’t mind it is similar as it is all beautiful.

Over on the side, the first thing you will notice is the new EV wheels with thick spokes; these 17-inchers look real smart. A strong singular line cuts under the window and meets the curve at C-pillar making the car look sleek. The large windows imperson­ate a full-size SUV. The roof rails and plastic claddings further emphasize the SUV nature. The rear doesn’t see any changes except the addition of an EV badge next to the ZS name. Overall the MG ZS EV is a great look­er even though it doesn’t have many frills to grab your attention. It blends in perfectly into the city traffic and doesn’t scream, “Look at me, I am electric” and we quite like that.

Interior

The cabin of the ZS EV is the same one you will find in the regular ZS, without the gear lever of course, which has been replaced by a rotary dial gear selector and other chrome finished tabs on the console that let you fiddle around with driving modes, regeneration braking and battery information. Apart from that, the moment you step in, the cabin feels light and airy, all thanks to the huge panoramic sunroof and large windows. Visibility outside is great from anywhere you sit.

On to the dash, there are soft-touch materials on the top half of the dash which feels premium. Those circular AC vents carried over from the regular ZS are so good you can’t help but reach out and touch it from time to time for no reason at all. The 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system comes with all the bells and whistles you expect and is clear and responsive. It also has with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. However, the software experience could have been improved.

Performance

The MG ZS EV is powered by a 44.5 kWh battery that generates 148 electric horses and 350 Nm of peak torque. Now we know the Hyundai Kona EV and Kia Niro EV put out larger numbers and are faster. But we assure you, the ZS EV isn’t slow.

Dial it into drive, put it into Sport, hit the accelerator, and the ZS EV will throw you back into your seat, the instant torque available on tap capable of sending the ZS from a standstill to 100 km/h in 8.2 seconds. The Sport mode stiffens the steering wheel, giving it much needed heft and feedback that is otherwise miss­ing on other drive modes. The car feels confident and planted out on the road and although the suspen­sion is on the softer side turning in at high speeds invites way less body roll than we had predicted, which is amazing.

All that power has been delivered in a way to ensure maximum occu­pant safety. The MG ZS EV scored the maximum Five Stars in Euro NCAP rating. The ZS EV scored impressively in all areas of the Euro NCAP test, including the four key test categories: Adult Occupant, Child Occupant, Vulnerable Road User, and Safety Assist. The ZS EV was awarded 90 percent in the adult occupancy rating, 85 percent in child occupancy safety rating, 64 percent in the vulnerable road users rating, and 70 percent in the safety assist system category. You get six airbags and all the latest safety tech that will protect you and everyone on board the ZS EV.

Verdict

The ZS EV comes at an aggressive price tag of Rs 49.99 lakhs, which makes it one of the most afford­able all-electric compact SUV in Nepal. But that is not all. The afore­mentioned price includes a 7KW AC charger which no other manu­facturer is offering at the moment. This included charger juices up the ZS EV from 0 to 100 percent in just six and half hours, mak­ing the ZS EV a lucrative deal. A spacious, good looking car with enough power to always keep you satisfied, with an affordable tag that also includes a powerful charger. We’d say that the MG ZS EV is an electrifying bargain O