Overall rating:

While we were limited to Silverstone's Stowe complex and a very short time behind the wheel, the EV Concept looks extremely promising for MG. It's practically production ready and could be an exceptionally good value way into EV ownership, providing Longbridge pitches it right.

Key Facts

Model tested: MG EV Concept
Pricing: not yet in production
Engine: permanent magnet synchronous electric motor
Transmission: front-wheel drive, continuously variable transmission
Body style: three-door hatchback
Rivals: Nissan LEAF, Renault Zoe, Volkswagen e-up!
CO₂ emissions: 0g/km
Predicted real-world range: 50- to 71 miles
Top speed: 81mph
0-62mph: 14.6 seconds
Power: 71hp (52kW) at 8,000rpm
Torque: 155Nm from 0rpm

In the Metal:

The MG EV Concept is a neat piece of design. Europeanised from the Roewe E50 upon which it is based, in the white, black, red and blue of our test cars it's actually very smart. There are a few details that perhaps don't sit quite as well, such as the black swish at the top of the rear window line, but overall you'd be happy to drive one about town. The rear end is particularly appealing, looking as futuristic as you would hope of an EV.

Inside is excellent too. Granted, it's built to a certain cost, but it doesn't feel cheap and nasty. The use of bright materials helps keep the cabin light and airy, there's a funky, Tron-esque blue touchscreen in the centre console and the graphics in the main instrument cluster are all clear enough. Furthermore, four reasonably-sized adults could fit into the MG EV - although the floor feels higher than is comfortable, even allowing for batteries underneath the car. Oh, and the boot is utterly laughable. You'd struggle to get a bag of shopping or two in there.

Driving it:

Our time behind the wheel was limited to a handful of laps around a closed-off section of Silverstone circuit, but it was enough to tell that this is very, very good indeed. If you thought the EV Concept would feel outmoded in comparison to similar EVs from other manufacturers, you'd be wrong. It's not the quickest EV you'll ever go in - thank the CVT gearbox and modest outputs for that - but by the same token it has enough punch with 155Nm available from the off, so that the thought of piloting the MG in a city isn't one to fill you with terror. Its 0-31mph 'scooting' time of 5.3 seconds is more telling than its glacial 0-62mph figure.

It's obviously near-silent in terms of motive power, just the very faint whirr of the PMSM unit audible, but road and wind noise build above 40mph so that if you're outside and one rushes past, you'd definitely know it was there. MG was keen to stress that the 15-inch wheel and tyre package and suspension settings were yet to be finalised; maybe the tyre noise inside the car will die down with a different choice of rubber.

Otherwise, the basics are all good. The ride is pleasant - and some of the surfaces on the Stowe complex were atrocious, not race-track smooth - while the handling is fine enough, providing you're not expecting razor-sharp dynamics. It bravely resists understeer and, like other MGs we've tried recently, its steering seems to be better than average. The only slight disappointment was the lack of any sort of regenerative braking effect when off the throttle - MG said it was in a moderate state of regeneration, but the MG hardly slowed at all once off the right-hand pedal, necessitating more 'real' braking action than expected in an EV.

What you get for your Money:

So difficult to say really. In principle, SAIC Motor has swallowed the costs of development by getting the Roewe E50 ready for market in China, where it is currently on sale. So hopefully, MG can continue its keen pricing strategy and bang the EV in around the £10-12,000 mark. Optimistic, maybe, but if the asking price starts creeping upwards, the MG EV would quickly drift into Volkswagen e-up! territory and that would make it harder to justify as a purchase.

Worth Noting

At the moment, the MG EV Concept has two charging sockets - one in the nose for rapid DC charging and one underneath the 'fuel filler cap' on the side of the car for AC charging. However, the rapid DC charging (30 minutes for 80 per cent battery power in China) for the MG isn't available as yet in the UK and the company is still deciding on two socket designs for the AC portal, as a European standard has not yet been agreed. If you could put one on your drive tomorrow, it would take six hours of mains charging to replenish the EV's lithium-ion battery pack.

Summary

The MG EV Concept has plenty of potential. It is not far off being ready to be sold in dealerships and if the price was right it could undercut other EVs in the market and potentially steal sales from bigger companies. There are still a few areas to be ironed out and finalised ahead of any production version, but the MG thoroughly deserves to make it to UK shores on the basis of this showing.