MG, freshly returned to Irish shores this year, is about to throw a major value cat amongst the electric car pigeons with the MG 5 estate. It's a roomy electric family car that costs just €27,645.
345km WLTP range
That's only slightly more expensive than the much smaller Renault Zoe, and the MG 5 comes with a good deal more interior space. It uses a 115kW electric motor (that's 156hp in old money) and has a 52.5kWh battery pack. Fully-charged, that'll put 345km between charges, according to the WLTP test. MG says that range rises to 445km in urban conditions, but it is a little slow to charge, compared to the smaller Zoe - a zero-to-80 per cent charge takes 50 minutes from a rapid charger.
1,456 litres of luggage space
Still, never mind the charging speed - feel the width of the boot, which can hold 454 litres of luggage, expanding to 1,456 litres if you fold the back seats flat.
The 5 will be available in two trim levels - Excite and Exclusive - and comes with a seven-year, 150,000km warranty.
Gerard Rice, Managing Director of MG Motor Ireland, said: "Building on the recent successful launches of the ZS EV and HS PHEV, the MG5 EV completes the package to essentially offer electric for all drivers in Ireland. The MG5 EV will appeal to both families and business users alike, with plenty of flexibility for loading the passengers and cargo combined with an impressive electric driving range."
Free home charging point
MG is also pushing out the special offer boat as it seeks to get a hold on the Irish market. Order the new 5, or the MG ZS electric crossover, or the MG HS plug-in hybrid SUV, before the 31st of March, and you'll get a 2.9 per cent PCP finance rate with zero deposit and a free charging cable. MG has also tied up with energy provider Energia to give customers a free home charging point, and a 20 per cent discount on 'green' electricity.
"Providing a straightforward transition to electric for our customers is a fundamental value for MG Motor as we introduce our electrified range of cars to the Irish market. This value is further bolstered by our exciting partnership with Energia to offer our customers a free home charge point with hassle-free installation in conjunction with discounted green electricity" said Rice.
Gary Ryan, Managing Director of Customer Solutions at Energia Group commented: "We are delighted to partner with MG Motor and give customers the ultimate, streamlined EV experience. This partnership ensures motorists have everything needed to get started on their MG Electric Vehicle journey, with a charging point installed in their home, that is powered from 100 per cent renewable energy."