The refreshed MG4 goes on sale in China with a semi-solid-state battery in one of its versions

MG Motor has started selling the new generation of the MG4 in China, with a starting base price of just 68,800 yuan. Roughly 8,200 euros at the current exchange rate. This price is slightly lower than what was announced initially when reservations opened in early August last year.

The company has also expanded the available versions from four to five, adding the much-anticipated version with a semi-solid-state battery pack that has generated so much discussion over the past few months.

The Anxin Edition with this semi-solid-state battery pack is priced at 102,800 yuan, which amounts to just over 12,000 euros at the current exchange rate. This price is only 6,000 yuan higher – a little over 700 euros at the current exchange rate – than the most expensive version of the MG4 with the LFP battery pack, which is priced at 96,800 yuan. The additional cost of opting for the semi-solid-state battery version is therefore really small, which has not failed to surprise.

What does this new semi-solid-state battery pack bring?

According to local media, this semi-solid-state battery pack developed by QingTao Energy has an energy density of 180 Wh/kg. By comparison, other semi-solid-state batteries, such as the one in the NIO with WeLion cells, reach 261 Wh/kg. The CLTC range of the MG4 with this battery pack is 537 kilometres, only 7 kilometres more than the higher-capacity LFP version, so the increase in range is not significant at all. MG Motor has not officially confirmed details such as the capacity or charging behaviour of this battery.

On the other hand, the versions with LFP battery packs use two different ones. The smaller-capacity one, at 42.8 kWh, provides a CLTC range of 437 kilometres and is available in three different trims of the refreshed MG4, priced at 68,800, 76,800 and 83,800 yuan. Likewise, the 53.9 kWh battery pack is offered in a single trim for 96,800 yuan and reaches 530 kilometres of range. According to the manufacturer, with this latter battery pack it is possible to increase the state of charge from 30 to 80 percent in just 20 minutes.

The new MG4 is based on SAIC’s E3 electric platform and features a permanent-magnet synchronous electric motor that delivers 120 kW of power and 250 Nm of torque, reaching a top speed of 160 km/h. Its dimensions are 4.40 metres long, 1.84 metres wide and 1.55 metres high, with a wheelbase of 2.75 metres, making it noticeably larger than the previous-generation model.