China-based MG Motor recently brought to market the cheapest EV in India. MG Motor is owned by China's SAIC Motor and competes in India against automakers, including Tata Motors, among others.
We often talk about China being the world's largest EV market and a current hot spot for EVs. The country's local automakers have been successful to launch affordable EVs, and now yet another Chinese company is reaching the world's third-largest auto market. However, many of the local electric cars you'll find in China and India aren't the type that would appeal to most Americans.
According to Autocar, the MG Motor Comet EV – which is actually a rebadged Wuling Air EV – is a two-door with four seats. If you didn't know what you were looking at, you might initially guess that it's some variation of a Smart ForTwo. It has 230 kilometers (143 miles) of estimated driving range and starts at just 798,000 rupees ($9,763). For comparison, Tata's Tiago EV starts at 849,000 rupees ($10,400). However, it's a four-door with a bit more range (250-315 kilometers).
While a tiny two-door city car might not appeal to most folks in the US (EVs on our shores are going in the other direction, from small, impractical, and polarizing to large, family-friendly, and easy to like), it might be a solid option for commuters in India due to the country's busy roads and cities. Chief of MG Motor India Rajeev Chaba shared, via Autoblog:
"It is for those who are looking for a smart solution to combat today's urban mobility issues."
MG Motor also sells a larger fully electric crossover in India. The automaker estimates that this year some 25 to 30% of its total sales in the country will be electric cars.
Nearly 4 million cars were sold in India last year, and only 2% of those were electric models. Tata Motors was the leader for the year, though BYD also brought its first EV to market in India in 2022. The Chinese company aims to grab 40% of all EV market share in the country by 2030.
India's Minister Narendra Modi's administration hopes to boost EVs to 30% of all vehicle sales in the area by 2030.
Check out Autocar India's video review of the Comet EV below:
