Sharply styled all-electric MG4 plugging into South Africa in 2027

MG has announced its entry into South Africa’s ever increasing entry-level electric vehicle segment with the 4 EV Urban in 2027.

Revealed in its current second generation guise in March last year, the 4 EV Urban will become the Chinese-owned British brand’s second fully electric vehicle after the Cyberster, with price and specifications to be announced in the new year.

What is it?

Announced at the brand’s annual Tech Day and Premium SUV gala held in Johannesburg this past Wednesday (28 October), the 4 EV Urban rides on a dedicated EV platform called E3 with the following dimensions:

• Length

  : 4 395mm;

• Wheelbase

  : 2 750mm;

• Height

  : 1 549mm;

• Width

  : 1 842mm.

Set to take aim at the newly launched Arcfox T1 and BYD Dolphin, the 4 has a claimed boot space of 382-litres, which increases to 1 266-litres with the rear seats folded down. An additional 98-litres can be stored underneath the boot board.

Two battery options

Assembled in China and Thailand, the 4 utilises the same front-engine, front-wheel drive layout as the T1, with a choice of two battery pack options.

Each powering a single electric motor, the entry-level 42.8-kWh unit develops 110kW/250Nm, while the flagship 53.9-kWh outputs 118kW/250Nm.

MG4 EV Urban will take direct aim at the Arcfox T1. Picture: MG Australia

According to MG Australia, the 4’s claimed ranges are 316km and 405km respectively, though, both support DC charging up 150kW.

Claimed waiting times from 10-80% using the latter are 28 and 30 minutes. However, a 6.6kW on-board charger is standard.

Whereas the former will get from 0-100km/h in nine seconds, the latter takes 8.7 seconds, with both having a limited top speed of 160km/h.

Spec

On the specification front, the 4 EV Urban, depending on the trim level, has the following as standard:

• auto on/off LED headlights;
• rain sense wipers;
• 17-inch alloy wheels;
• folding and heated electric mirrors;
• imitation leather upholstery;
• electric driver’s seat;
• automatic climate control;
• keyless entry;
• push-button start;
• seven-inch digital instrument cluster;
• six-speaker sound system;
• 12.8-inch infotainment display;
• wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto;
• type-C USB ports;
• ambient lighting;
• heated steering wheel;
• wireless smartphone charging pad.

Interior retains physical switchgear and comes standard with a seven-inch instrument cluster and a 12.8-inch infotainment display. Picture: MG Australia

On the safety and driver assistance side, again trim grade depended, the 4 EV Urban has been equipped with:

• seven airbags;
• tyre pressure monitor;
• 360-degree camera;
• front and rear parking sensors;
• Adaptive Cruise Control;
• Autonomous Emergency Braking;
• Forward Collision Warning;
• Hill Start Assist;
• Lane Change Assist;
• Blind Spot Monitoring;
• Lane Keep Assist;
• Driver Attention Alert;
• Lane Departure Warning;
• Door Open Alert;
• Rear Cross Traffic Alert;
• Reverse Automatic Braking.

Stay tuned

Priced between $29 990 and $32 900 Down Under, which equates to between R349 929 and R384 933 when directly converted and without taxes, the 4 EV Urban is likely to have a pricier starting sticker of around R450 000 to R480 000.

However, this is purely speculative and could prove otherwise once its reveal date is announced in 2027.