Where rivals are concerned, new MG sub 4m electric car, the BinguoEV, will rival Nexon EV, Punch EV, Citroen eC3 and XUV400
One new NEV (New Energy Vehicle) every three to six months. That’s what JSW MG Motor India JV thinks it will take to recreate what Sajjan Jindal, MD of JSW Steel, referred to, as ‘The Maruti Moment’. The company is rigorously working in that direction and has patented one of its (potentially) upcoming EVs in India. Say Namaste to BinguoEV.
New MG Sub 4m Electric Car Patented
Back in December 2023, SAIC GM Wuling conglomerate launched BinguoEV in Indonesia. If you’re wondering whether it is the same car as Wuling Bingo, Bingo (see what I did there?). In our previous post, we expressed how BinguoEV can be one of the potential launches for India to rival the likes of Tata Nexon EV, Citroen eC3 and to some extent, Mahindra XUV400.
Where dimensions are concerned, upcoming MG BinguoEV measures 3,950 mm in length, 1,708 mm in width, 1,580 mm in height and has a long wheelbase of 2,560 mm and boasts up to 790L boot space. BinguoEV is based on SGMW Global Small Electric Vehicle platform and it shares a few interior elements with MG Comet EV.
In India, SAIC GM Wuling vehicles will launch under the MG brand. In keeping with JSW MG Motor India’s ambitious roadmap, we would reckon BinguoEV might launch in India by 2025. Indonesian pricing starts from IDR 317 million and goes till IDR 372 million which roughly translates to Rs. 16.27 lakh and Rs. 19.09 lakh in today’s currency exchange rates.
Where design is concerned, Wuling BinguoEV has a cute-sy appeal with a curvaceous body and smooth sheet metal profiling. Overall design and proportions remind me of a new Fiat 500. Design highlights include X-shaped LED elements in the headlights, water-splash design wheel caps on 15-inch wheels, dual-tone floating roof exterior appeal, and X-shaped LEDs in tail lights. There are disc brakes at all four wheels too.
The colour palette includes Milk Tea, Mousse Green and Galaxy Blue. BinguoEV interiors share a few components with Comet EV like the dual screens and steering wheel. There is leatherette cladding on dashboard and door panels with stitching along with shiny metallic-looking materials.
Specs and Range
In Indonesia, Wuling is offering two powertrain configurations – a 31.9 kWh battery with a 41 bhp motor and 333 km range or a 37.9 kWh battery with a 68 bhp motor and 410 km claimed range. Unlike MG Comet, Binguo EV gets DC charging compatibility too with a charging port on front right fender. Interestingly, BinguoEV gets a lifetime warranty with an asterisk, a free 7kW charger and a few free accessories in Indonesia.
Suppose JSW MG Motor India is positioning BinguoEV above Comet EV as a more practical 5-Door electric hatchback that is smaller than their upcoming Cloud EV. We can see how it might be a compelling product. However, pricing has to be right. Considering MG’s pricing strategies since their debut in India have been reasonable, we can expect it to undercut Nexon EV by some margin.
