MG Develops an All-Electric Roadster

author: Manish Kharinta   

After decades of hiatus, MG is planning on returning to the sports car segment with a futuristic offering. The British automaker has plans of developing an all-electric sports coupe. 

The company showcased the e-motions electric sports car concept at the 2017 Shanghai Motor Show. Together with its new Chinese owners, MG is planning on developing a brand-new roadster for the Chinese market, as well as other markets outside the United States.

MG was a quintessentially British brand which gained its popularity across the globe for producing some of the finest roadsters between the 1930s and 1980s. The British automaker has since been sold to the Chinese company SAIC which commissioned MG to build sedans and SUVs exclusively for the Chinese market. 

Ever since MG's exit from the roadster segment, Mazda Miata has become one of the most popular roadster in the British and American markets, taking on the duties of everyman's sports coupe. The batch engineered Fiat 124 Spider has also received substantial interest ever since its launch in 2016.

Shao Jingfeng, design chief of MG has confirmed that the company is developing a roadster which will compete against the likes of Miata. Jingfeng further added that the upcoming sports coupe will feature an all-electric Powertrain. 

Jingfeng believes that introduction of this sports car will rebrand MG's image amongst the consumers who have long forgotten that company's sporty pedigree and essentially perceive it to be an SUV manufacturer.

The company has developed a new small car platform and it is possible that the new electric sports car will incorporate the same underpinnings. The mandate sanctioned by the Chinese government promoting the development and incorporation of electric cars is a factor resulting in the incorporation of the electric drivetrain in the upcoming roadster.

At first glance, design Inspirations from Aston Martin and Jaguar F-Type become quite evident. The MG e-motion concept features vertical taillights, which we have earlier seen on offerings from Jaguar. The overall stance and body lines of the roadster are quite like the ones we find in Aston Martins.

The Concept Coupe showcased at the 2017 Shanghai Motor Show was based on the same platform. The company has not revealed any further details about the upcoming roadster, but it is believed that the car will go into production in the year 2020. It is also likely that the MG roadster will be priced around $40, 000 or £30,000.

The 2017 Shanghai Motor Show concept featured an electric powertrain which was developed in-house and can accelerate from 0 to 62 miles per hour in less than 4 seconds and had an all-electric driving range of 310 miles. It is possible that the same powertrain will also be in the production version of the upcoming Roadster.

Manish Kharinta

Manish Kharinta is a automotive writer based in the Los Angeles area. He has worked for automotive industry websites TheSmokingClutch.com, CarDekho.com and CarBikeindia.com. His experience ranges from covering auto shows, to car reviews and breaking automotive news. Manish aims to bring forth his unique perspective on automotive design and technological innovations in the automotive industry.