MG electric cars 2024: the EV range explained

The first of MG’s models to get the EV treatment was the ZS compact SUV. In truth, this car was a bit of a mechanical hotch-potch: it was originally designed and built as a combustion-engined car, but was then re-engineered retrospectively to accommodate batteries and a motor. That mattered not a jot to buyers, mind, who simply loved the fact that you could have an all-electric SUV with a roomy cabin and a big boot for less than you’d pay for most small combustion-engined hatchbacks. It was decent enough to drive so as not to be a chore to live with, it had a half-decent range, it had generous standard equipment and it even felt pretty nice inside. What’s more it was released in 2019, the same year that MG introduced its seven-year, 80,000-mile warranty across its entire range for added peace-of-mind.

The car remains on sale today, although it won’t for very long. The combustion-engined ZS has just been replaced by a new second-generation version packing a self-charging hybrid powertrain, but an electric version won’t be built. Fear not, though: the ZS EV will get a similarly sized electric SUV replacement, but it won’t be called the ZS, and it’ll be built on a bespoke electric car platform.

With the arrival of the MG4, people began to really sit up and take notice of MG’s electric efforts. This wasn’t a car that appealed by finding some strange unfilled electric-car niche and charging buyers a pittance to acquire it: this was a hugely compelling electric family car hatchback that impressed in its own right, and beat off much more well-established competition purely on merit.

And it’s still a cracking EV option to this day. It looks fab, it’s a genuinely entertaining car to drive while maintaining a very decent level of comfort, it’s practical enough for a small family, and it’s fabulously well equipped. All that on its own is enough to convince, but the comparatively low price you pay for all this talent really seals the deal. If you want Porsche-baiting performance, MG has that covered, too, in the form of the MG4 XPower hot hatch version, which has 435PS and does 0-62mph in just 3.8 seconds. However, we reckon the regular versions are just as much fun, and are considerably more affordable.

MG’s second electric offering was the MG5, and it was the company’s first car to be offered exclusively with an electric powertrain. It also had the unique honour of being the mass market’s first all-electric estate car, and even today, such cars are very few and far between.

When it first went on sale in 2021, it impressed with its all-round ability. It was very decent to drive, had a usable driving range, was impressively practical, had a bland-but-solid interior, and delivered the untouchable value-for-money that MG had become famous for. However, even the kindest of observers would admit that it looked a little gorky and awkward, which would limit its appeal for many. This was fixed in 2022, when a facelift gave it much sharper design, and a plusher interior, among various other upgrades. OK, so it may still be a little conservative compared to some electric cars, but its impressive ability in a wide variety of areas is very difficult to argue with.

As we explained earlier, MG is a company that’s been on something of a journey in the last couple of decades, but it’s been several more decades on top since the firm dealt in the charming two-seater convertibles for which the old British brand became famous. In a way, then, you could argue that the arrival of the Cyberster in 2024 marked the completion of the company’s renaissance. This glamorous two-seater convertible sports car sees the appeal of those MGs-of-old reimagined for the all-electric era, and in a really appealing and compelling way. It looks the business, it has theatrical scissor doors, and it has enough performance to convince as a high performance sports car.

Granted, it doesn’t quite have the handling to convince in that regard - it’s too heavy for that - and there are some other slight foibles as well. The driving position is a bit high, the boot is predictably small, and the four-screen infotainment setup is utterly bamboozling to use. However, that’s not enough to take the shine of what is a hugely likeable car in other ways. It rides fairly comfortably, the interior looks and feels good, and there’s a vast amount of standard equipment. The pricing isn’t ludicrous, and if you’re lucky enough to run one as a company car, you’ll pay a pittance in Benefit-in-Kind tax. The good old days truly are back again.