By T Murrali

MG Motors, owned by SAIC (formerly Shanghai Auto Industrial Corporation), has launched its pure Electric Vehicle (EV) MG ZS in the international market to recreate a ‘new hot spot’ for its global strategy. This strategy is based on the success of its first new energy vehicle MG 6 that has won good market feedback and reputation. As part of its plan to target those who would like to have all the benefits of a zero emission vehicle without compromising on style MG Motors India has unveiled MG ZS EV, its global SUV.

Under the guidance of SAIC Group’s new four-fold strategies of ‘electrification, intelligent networking, sharing, and internationalization,’ MG has been leading the trend in the field of fuel vehicles, and its new energy vehicles to attract young people. Equipped with the world-class ‘Net Green’ power and SAIC’s leading system of electric drive, battery, and electric control, MG ZS pure electric vehicle boasts of a constant velocity range of up to 428km. 

Moreover, the latest generation of ‘intelligent interconnection’ system and the exclusive colour of new energy will provide a better and trendier choice for the global market where the demand for pure electric vehicles is increasing. The new EV uses MG’s new kansei (emotional) design to make its shape more modern; it has also introduced the exclusive colour of new energy, making it more attractive. The vehicle is equipped with a panoramic sunroof, luggage rack and other configurations.

Not compromising on aesthetics the vehicle has an appreciable build quality that can thrill with its performance and is powered by i-Smart. Assembled at its plant in Halol, Gujarat, the new electric SUV is 4,314 mm long, 1,809 mm wide and stands 1,620 mm tall while the wheelbase is 2,579 mm. It is touted to be the first pure electric internet SUV with a clean, efficient and fast powertrain.

“As an enabler and catalyst for India’s EV revolution, MG Motor India is creating a strong, end-to-end electric vehicle ecosystem in association with leading players in the sustainable energy domain. A truly global and best-in-class EV SUV, the ZS EV has already registered significant success in more than 10 international markets such as the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, and Southeast Asia. It has also been extensively tested for India-specific requirements. We hope that it will recreate its success in India, thanks to the strong EV ecosystem that we are putting in place. We will evaluate opportunities to further expand this ecosystem to more markets across India, based on customer response,” Rajeev Chaba, President and Managing Director, MG Motor India, said.

The Collaborators

Understanding the importance of leveraging expertise of global majors to offer cost competitive solution to customers, MG Motors has collaborated with world leaders such as CATL, UAES, Bosch, Infineon, Exicom, Umicore and Fortum.  

The China-based battery and technology company CATL, specializes in the manufacture of lithium-ion batteries for EVs, energy storage systems, and battery management systems. UAES is the power electronics solutions provider, and Bosch and Infineon offer software and other support. Exicom helps in second-life use of batteries, and Umicore ensures safe and sustainable recycling of end-of-life batteries.

The collaboration with Fortum India is to set up a 50 kW DC fast charging infrastructure. It has installed such fast public charging stations for EVs across MG’s showrooms in Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad. Over the next 5 years Fortum plans to have one charging facility every 5 km in major metro cities and every 25 km on the highways.

Exterior And Interior

Inspired by the majestic London Eye, true to its British genes, the headlamps give the MG ZS EV a powerful persona, the kind which makes the EV stand out in the crowd. It complements the aesthetics of the grille, which connotes the magnetic fields between celestial bodies, and brings out the glam quotient. The deep concave grille is supplemented with enough chrome to get the bling on.

The tail lights depict the plough, also called the big dipper. They are inspired by the seven brightest stars of the constellation, Ursa Major, which is the largest northern constellation and third largest constellation in the sky. The side design depicts the phantom that flies through the corners. The panoramic sky roof covers 90 percent of the roof bringing in natural light. It’s like having the sky as a companion on every journey.

In the interior, the ZS comes with an updated version of the Hector’s infotainment system dubbed, iSmart EV 2.0. It has an embedded SIM card for internet connectivity and also has the ability to connect to an external home Wi-Fi network or mobile hotspot. The iSmart EV 2.0 features real-time maps with charging station locator from TomTom, music from Gaana app and weather by Accuweather. The updated system also gets a new graphic interface and improved hardware over the Hector’s iSmart system. 

The system offers over 60 connected car features including Range alerts, Battery status, Eco-friendly updates, Remote vehicle control (for AC on/off, door lock/unlock, light flashing and honking) E-Call (self-initiated emergency call sends a message and location to the 24/7 pulse hub if airbags are deployed), I-Call (get a call from the MG pulse hub for general assistance or road side assistance at the touch of the i-Call button), Geofencing, Navigation, Smart Drive (driver analytics-harsh braking, running idle, routes taken etc. to improve driving skills) and Security Alert (get alerts on the app in case of abnormal door opening, over speed etc.)

The vehicle has a CO2 saver feature which displays the amount of carbon-dioxide the owners save in real-time. MG ZS air-conditioning unit comes fitted with particulate matter 2.5 air filters to provide fresh and healthy air inside the cabin, thus maintaining healthy Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). It can bring bad air quality level of up to 300 AQI down to regular levels in just 35 minutes.

The vehicle is equipped with 3D surround effect, which enhances the driving experience with audible navigation assistance and provides close-to-ear experience.  

The MG ZS EV gets an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple Carplay and Android Auto. It is equipped with a visually delightful screen that gives all the information at a single glance and allows the driver to manage complete vehicle settings with just a touch. MG ZS can get new software over the air.

Safety

As safety is key, the MG ZS comes with European Standards such as European E-MARK, European REACH (environmental standards in the car) and European E-NCAP (safety standard design). In terms of safety the vehicle has 6 airbags, which include dual front airbags, front-seat side-impact airbags, and side-curtain airbags that work together with the seatbelts. It is adequately armoured to save the lives of the occupants.

The EV has auto headlamps to mitigate heavy overcast skies or an enclosure, such as a parking garage. In the case of cruise control, it doesn’t let the driver lose control over the speed. Instead it lets the driver to set a speed limit, and it will handle the throttle accordingly.

The SUV is equipped with an electric parking brake to ensure it is held safely when brakes are suddenly pressed. The electronic gear shift knob gives a complete sense of control over gear shifts. The reverse parking-assist system helps the driver to sense when objects are in the vehicle’s blind spot, thus help prevent accidents which may be caused due to difficulty in reverse parking. The hill descent control system helps the user enjoy the mountains as much as the highways. It prevents rollback on a slope when the brake is released and switched to the accelerator pedal. Besides, it had TPMS to get real-time information about the tyre pressure through a pictogram display. Heated OVRM is part of the standard equipment to clear the fog and ice on the side view mirror, thereby ensuring visibility at all times.

The Battery

The ultra-high density 44.5 kWh battery makes the vehicle to zip 0-100 kmph in 8.5 seconds. It helps deliver maximum power of 142.7 PS, maximum torque of 353 Nm. The liquid-cooled NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) battery from CATL, gives the car a travel range of 340 km on a full charge. It comes with a kinetic energy reverse system, which stores the extra generated power for later use.

The battery of ZS complies with IP67 and UL 2580 - standards for safety that cover waterproof, dustproof, collision monitoring, electromagnetic shielding, insulation monitoring, high voltage interlock, overload protection, short circuit, intrusion, smoke, soaks, fire and fall.

Charging System

The MG ZS EV is equipped with CCS Type-2 European standard connector and is able to rapid charge from public chargers and also comes equipped with an AC slow charger. The lithium-ion battery can be charged through four options. AC Fast Charger that is provided and installed by MG Motor India at home or office, free of cost. With this 80 percent of charging is done in 6-8 hours. The portable charger that comes with every car can be plugged into any 15A socket. The batteries can be charged up to 80 percent n 16-18 hours. DC superfast chargers that are available at MG dealerships 24x7 can charge the batteries up to 80 percent within 50 minutes. Besides, the vehicle maker is also planning to set up AC Fast Chargers at MG dealerships along key routes in satellite cities. In an emergency, road side assistance for mobile charging support is offered 24x7. The MG logo in the vehicle glows to indicate that the SUV is getting charged. Glowing stops, once the charging is complete.

MG ZS EV comes with three driving modes: Sport, for accelerated driving and a thrilling drive experience; Normal, for balanced range and driving performance; and Eco, for efficient driving to maximize range. (MT)

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Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, is seeing retail sales growth along with robust export performance.

The company is seeing rising traction across its product portfolio, including demand for hatchbacks, SUVs and CNG models, even as it operates at nearly full capacity across plants.

For February, the company clocked total sales of 214,000 units, marking its highest-ever monthly performance across domestic and export markets. Overall wholesales for the month stood at an all-time high of 264,000 units, the highest in the company’s 40-year history. Retail sales touched 150,000 lakh units, up 12 percent YoY, with channel inventory maintained at a lean 12 days, including seven days of transit stock.

Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer – Marketing & Sales, Maruti Suzuki India, said “We are currently operating at close to 100 percent capacity, with a new production line commissioned in April and scaling up from May. “Despite the capacity constrain, we have delivered an all-time high retail performance and are seeing robust bookings of 190,000 units, growing at around 20 percent,” he noted.

SUV Surge Lifts Market Share

A key growth driver has been the company’s sharper focus on higher-value vehicles, particularly in the mid-SUV segment. Maruti Suzuki has doubled its monthly SUV volumes from an average of 10,000 units in FY2024-25 to around 20,000 units currently. Its market share in the SUV segment has expanded from 12.8 percent to 19 percent.

Industry passenger vehicle wholesales stood at 381,665 units in February, with expectations of 420,000–450,000 units in the coming months. While the broader industry is projected to grow 11–12 percent, Maruti Suzuki’s retail growth of 12 percent has enabled it to gain share, reaching 40.06 percent on the Vahan portal. The company said it has gained market share following the recent GST revision, despite production constraints.

To reduce waiting periods and balance demand across models, the company is calibrating production. Waiting periods for SUVs have increased by two to three days, while the WagonR continues to see over a month’s wait. Capacity additions at the Kharkhoda plant are expected to gradually add 100,000–120,000 units annually, supporting production of two to three models and easing pressure across segments.

CNG Momentum Continues

CNG models remain a strong pillar of growth. CNG penetration stood at nearly 44 percent in February and close to 40 percent for FY2026 (up to February). The company has sold 670,000 CNG vehicles so far this fiscal, reflecting 18.2 percent growth.

Banerjee highlighted the success of the S-CNG portfolio, including the Victoris under-body CNG kit, as a key contributor to this expansion.

Exports Hit Target Early

On the exports front, the company dispatched over 39,000 units in February, up 56.5 percent YoY. For FY2026 (April 2025 to February 2026) exports have crossed 400,000 units, marking 33.7 percent growth and enabling the company to achieve its full-year export target ahead of schedule.

Rahul Bharti, Executive Director – Corporate Affairs, noted that while the overall passenger vehicle industry’s exports grew around 7 percent till January, Maruti Suzuki’s exports expanded by over 30 percent, rising above 33 percent in February. The company now exports to over 100 countries.

The eVitara has emerged as a strong export performer, crossing 21,000 units across more than 39 countries, including the UK, Denmark and Germany. The company said it is dispatching one eVitara to every Nexa outlet and increasing test-drive vehicles to meet rising customer enquiries, which are running at nearly 2,000 per day.

Addressing concerns around geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, Bharti said the company’s export exposure to the region stands at around 12.5 percent in FY2026. “Our export portfolio is well diversified. We are not just increasing exports, but doing so in a broad-based manner to de-risk ourselves. We continue to monitor the situation,” he said.

For FY2026, Maruti Suzuki India remains on track to achieve total sales of 2.2 million units, including domestic sales, exports and supplies to other OEMs. Additional capacity enhancement at its Gujarat facility from July will support electric vehicle production, while the ramp-up at Kharkhoda is expected to ease supply constraints across the portfolio.

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Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles has announced its sales results for February 2026, recording total sales of 63,331 units, marking a 35 percent YoY growth, compared to the 46,811 units sold in February 2025.

Domestic passenger vehicle (PV) sales reached 62,329 units, a 34 percent rise over the 46,435 units recorded in the same month last year. International business (IB) for the segment saw the highest rate of growth, increasing by 167 percent to 1,002 units.

The total sales figures include the performance of Tata Passenger Electric Mobility. Combined domestic and international electric vehicle (EV) sales stood at 8,385 units for February 2026, which marks a 57 percent increase from the 5,343 units sold in February 2025.

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JSW MG Motor India, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has reported its wholesales of 4,957 units in February 2026, up 24 percent YoY.

The company attributed the demand to the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) and electric vehicle (EV) portfolio. During the period, the company introduced India’s first D+ SUV – the MG Majestor.

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Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has announced its wholesales for February 2026, recording total sales of 34,034 units. This figure represents a 20 percent increase compared to the 28,414 units sold in February 2025.

The monthly total includes 30,737 units sold in the domestic market, up 16 percent YoY and 3,297 units exported, up 65 percent YoY, rising from 2,000 units in the same month last year.

For the first two months of the 2026 calendar year (January–February), Toyota Kirloskar Motor has sold 67,914 units, an 18 percent increase over the 57,785 units recorded during the same period in 2025.

The company noted demand across its product portfolio, specifically citing the response to the ‘Tech Package’ for the Urban Cruiser Hyryder.

Sabari Manohar, Executive Vice-President, Sales-Service-Used Car Business, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, “Our sales performance in February 2026 reflects the continued customer trust in Toyota’s quality, reliability and ownership experience. The sustained demand across product portfolio reaffirms our unwavering focus on delivering value-driven mobility solutions aligned with customer expectations. Furthermore, the recently launched Tech Package for the Urban Cruiser Hyryder received positive customer response towards enhancing the overall in-cabin experience with advanced comfort and convenience features. We thank our customers and dealer partners for their continued confidence and support.”

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