The MG 4 electric vehicle (EV) is getting an even more practical SUV sibling.
MG has revealed the ES5 which, like the MG 4 electric hatch, rides on the brand’s Modular Scalable Platform (also known as Nebula), and features standard rear-wheel drive and five-link independent rear suspension.
That’s in contrast with the current front-wheel drive ZS EV, which shares its platform with the combustion-powered ZS and ZST SUVs.
CarExpert understands the ES5 will come to Australia as a replacement for the current ZS EV during the first half of 2025. Prototypes have already been spied in local testing.
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The ES5 measures 4476mm long, 1849mm wide and 1621mm tall on a 2730mm wheelbase, making it slightly larger than the existing ZS EV.
Car News China reports the ES5, which first broke cover in a Chinese government filing in July, will offer a choice of 49.1kWh or 62.2kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP ) batteries sourced from CATL.
Depending on the variant, range on the more lenient CLTC cycle is either 425km, 515km or 525km.
The ES5 features a single rear-mounted electric motor producing 125kW of power and 250Nm of torque, good for a 0-100km/h time of 8.0 seconds.
It’s unclear whether more powerful options will also be available as they are in the MG 4.
Kerb weight tops out at 1740kg.
Images shared on Chinese media, including on Autohome, reveal an interior with a minimalist design language much like the MG 4.
There are some key differences between this SUV and its hatch sibling, however.
The touchscreen remains free-standing and horizontally oriented but it’s larger, while the digital instrument cluster is more neatly integrated into the dashboard.
There’s no longer a small centre console jutting out from the centre stack, with the ES5 instead featuring a split-level console with a shelf just above floor level and a wireless charging pad and cupholders on the higher level.
There’s a clear familial resemblance between the ES5 and the MG 4, with a similarly styled front bumper, aggressively angled headlights, and a similarly shaped rear lighting assembly.
It’s not the only new electric SUV expected in MG Australia showrooms next year.
CarExpert understands the second-generation Marvel R is also set to arrive during the first half of 2025, giving MG a rival for the likes of the Tesla Model Y.
The next-generation ZS, which will start arriving here later this year, may be losing its electric version but will gain a hybrid variant in Australia.
