MG IS GUNNING FOR TESLA

Upmarket Chinese electric models look to grab a slice of American giant’s share of the EV market

- Alastair Crooks

New MC IM6

Brand’s £47,995 all-electric SUV is aimed squarely at the big-selling Tesla Model Y

MG has revealed the new electric model that’s been created to take it into a new, more premium area of the market: the IM6.

Elsewhere in the world, the IM6 is sold by IM Motors (hence the name), which is an upmarket electric car brand owned by SAIC Motor, MG’s Chinese parent company. Instead of using that or ‘IM Presented by MG Motor’ as in the Australian market, the IM6 will be sold by MG here in the UK.

With the wraps coming off the model at the Goodwood Festival of Speed alongside the IM5 saloon (see Page 8), it doesn’t look any different from the car that entered other global markets early this year. As with the IM5, the IM6 will be offered in three trim levels. First up will be the Long Range, at £47,995, followed by the £50,995 Performance model, and finally there's a £52,995 Launch Edition.

With that pricing and dimensions of 4,904mm in length, 1,988mm in width and 1,669mm in height, the IM6 has plenty of competition from other all-electric family SUVs including the Skoda Enyaq, upcoming Kia EV5 and the recently updated Tesla Model Y.

Unlike the IM5, which comes with a smaller 75kWh entry-level model, the IM6 gets a larger 100kWh battery as standard across the range. MG hasn't confirmed UK specifications yet, but we expect up to 345 miles of range, along with a maximum recharge rate of 392kW for a 10 to 80 per cent battery top-up time of 17 minutes.