Chinese car-maker says luxury electric SUV with around 500km of range has been all but green-lit for Oz
MG Motor Australia has confirmed a trio of new models is under ‘strong’ consideration for local release, including three electric vehicles from parent company SAIC Motor – China’s largest car-maker for the past 17 years, with 5.3 million vehicles sold in 2022.
The biggest of four giant state-owned car-makers, SAIC owns the brands as diverse as MG (since 2005), IM Motors, Rising Auto, Roewe, Wuling/Baojun and – since 2010 – Maxus, which is known in Australia as LDV.
The three electric models under study for Australia, where they could be launched as soon as 2025, include the L7 mid-size SUV and the LS7 mid-size SUV from luxury EV brand IM, which standards for Intelligence in Motion, and the closely-related Rising Auto F7 sedan.
But while the LS7 luxury electric SUV has all but been green-lit for an Aussie launch, MG says only one of the two other electric sedans will be imported.
No matter which two of the three EVs make it Down Under, an MG spokesperson said both vehicles will be badged and sold here as MGs, likely named the MG LS7, MG L7 and/or MG F7.
While several variants are sold overseas, including more affordable single-motor rear-drive options, MG says only high-spec dual-motor all-wheel drive versions of the EVs are on the cards for Australia.
That means a huge 425kW of power and a whopping 725Nm of torque for the LS7 and L7, while the related F7 is slightly less potent with maximum outputs of 400kW/700Nm.
Tipping the scales at around 2500kg, the dual-motor LS7 wagon is good for a claimed 4.5-second 0-100km/h acceleration time, while the lighter 2200kg L7 sedan is said to hit 100km/h in 3.8sec and, strangely, the F7 is claimed to be quicker than both of its siblings, hitting triple digits in just 3.7sec.
It’s also tipped to go the furthest on a single charge, with an electric driving range of around 666km thanks to its 90kWh battery. The L7 has a 97kWh battery offering a 615km range and the LS7 has a big 100kWh battery offering a 660km range.
However, those figures are based on Chinese model specs and when they land in Australia we’re told to expect a real-world range closer to 500km for the LS7, and slightly more for the sedan.
Both the L7 and F7 sedans are available with several drive modes, including the option to switch up torque delivery, sending up to 100 per cent of torque to the rear wheels and enabling an unofficial drift mode.
Other significant inclusions are beefy Brembo brakes for all three EVs and rear-wheel steering for the L7.
Meanwhile, both the LS7 and L7 bring height-adjustable air suspension and chassis tuning by Williams Advanced Engineering.
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Keyword: MG considering three new EVs for Australia