MG Windsor EV review, first drive - Solid Business Case
I wondered if there were too many catchphrases and acronyms for a single evening or if it was just my age. However, thanks to that age, I could zero down on the most relevant acronym from the presentation, mentioning Starstreak, Aero-Lounge, Infinity View, Grandview, Aeroglide Design, Smartflow Taillamps and CUV. BaaS-'Battery as a Service' is a unique plan MG Motors has come up with to address the most pertinent question potential EV customers face- does the differential cost between the EV and its ICE counterpart make sense for them?
JSW MG Motor India has pitched Windsor as a CUV, crossover utility vehicle, claiming C-segment features in a B-segment car, priced like an A-segment vehicle. Thanks to the dual pricing strategy, which offers battery as a rental service. And, before we get on to the Aero Lounge seats and drive this car, we should get over with this pricing mechanism that kept most journalists busy at the product briefing. Not to forget the additional measures related to the battery and charging.
BaaS- Battery as a Service
We can call it a battery subscription plan, where the customers buy the car in two parts, the cost of the vehicle and the rent for the battery. So, a combination of a car loan from any regular bank and a rental scheme with another financier. Four such financiers onboarded by MG have curated different rental schemes for the Windsor battery. You can choose between a minimum 1,500-km monthly run or a zero run zero pay type scheme with tenures of three or five years. The telematics would read the monthly runnings, and the customers must pay accordingly.
The per kilometre rent ranges between Rs 3.50 to Rs 5.80. To clarify, this is not part of the charging expenditure. That electricity bill or payment at the charger would be extra. Unless you are charging it at a public charger. In that case, your first year of charging would be free if you charge at any public charger part of MG's eHub network.
Now, returning to the battery of the Windsor, it gets a lifetime warranty for the first customer. The battery will fall under the standard eight-year car warranty if you plan to sell it.
Other than reducing the entry price of an EV, giving a lifetime warranty on the battery and free charging for the first year, there is one more offer for Windsor customers. After three years, you can sell it back to the company with a 60 percent assured buyback.
So, with Windsor, MG Motors has tried addressing all of the significant concerns potential EV buyers face- battery life, charging fees and the resale value of an electric vehicle.
Prices with the batteryInterestingly, MG announced the total prices by the time I could get my head around the BaaS to explain it properly. So here it is. There are three variants on offer, starting at Rs 13.50 lakh; Excite is the base variant, Exclusive coming at Rs 14.50 lakh and Essence, the variant we drove, comes at an ex-showroom price of Rs 15.50 lakh. Looking at this price list, one can argue that even without the BaaS scheme, the Windsor undercuts its competition and appears a potent option in the segment. Why do we say that? Let's get into that answer part now.
Look and design
The two-tiered face, hatch and relatively lower height combine to form a silhouette of Windsor, giving the impression of a big hatchback. A car 4,295mm long and 1,677mm tall, with a ground clearance of 186mm, can project such a persona. Which might change the moment you move closer. The Windsor feels more like a five-seater people-mover with a broad, deep dashboard, ultra-cushioned seats, spacious second row, and more than 600L luggage space. The face and rear design, too, has a functional aspect. It hasn't gone the curvy or timeless beauty way; with the Starstreak LEDs and Smartflow taillamp, it follows the international design pattern of MG Motors- minimal and functional. In India, we don't have many cars in this shape and style, but when we look at the global models from many manufacturers, including Chinese ones, this is the new trend in born electrics based on skateboard architecture.
Performance
The drive we took the Windsor on was short, but it had its share of twists and turns, potholes, and stretches of roads that seemed to have traces of tarmac on them. The Windsor felt adequate in most of those conditions. Yes, you will feel the car's weight while navigating through fast corners, some body roll, and maybe a need for better rubber for more grip. But, the suspension setup, initial thrust, and braking all give an impression of an eager car, which can be quick and fun in a given range. With a power output of 136PS and 200 Nm of peak torque, this can touch the three figures in good time, and you can cruise on the higher side of that figure very comfortably.
The Windsor feels more comfortable in the urban scenario, where the roads are smooth and straight. While the car didn't hesitate much on the broken road sections, you feel the weight of the vehicle giving the suspension too much work. The ride of the car isn't choppy, but the undulations on those roads can be felt by the eardrums more than the spine.
In tight areas, however, new drivers might take some extra time to gauge the bottom tier of the two-tier Windsor front, as the bulge on the bottom half felt more than what was visible from the driver's seat. And, in case you are unsure about the periphery, the cameras are fitted all around.
Battery and ChargingMG Windsor is fitted with a 38 kWh Battery and a CCS2 Charger. This battery can be charged in 13.8 hours if you use a 3.3 kW charger, 6.5 hours with a 7.4kW and 55 minutes with a 50kW charger. Maximum charging capacity is 45 kW. The overall claimed range is approximately 330 kilometres. While the car we drove showed a practical range between 220 and 240, we will follow up with a story very soon, where we will take the vehicle on a mileage run and test the real-life range.
Comfort and Features
I don't remember seats playing such a big part in any review of a car or motorcycle I have done. The tufted sofa-style seating is named Aero Lounge seats by MG. It looks cosy, comfy, and inviting, which can go well with a tub of popcorn and Christopher Nolan's famous trilogy involving a nocturnal species on a projector screen. About that, the screen on Windsor is one of the biggest you have seen recently. What I like about the infotainment screen and its tech pack is that it is easy to pair with your smartphone and doesn't make you feel dumb. MG didn't go overboard with minimalism by putting everything on the touchscreen. The climate control buttons come in a physical avatar below that humongous 15.6-inch screen, which MG calls the Grandview touch display.
The seats are ventilated on the front row, and a huge glass panel called- Infinity View Glass Roof makes the cabin look even more spacious, especially in the second row, where knee room and leg room are impressive, even for a passenger with a height of 6'3" like me. Other than the pricing, the second row of Windsor seems to be the USP of this car. You must have noticed how too much cushion on any car seat provides just the opposite of comfort. I was apprehensive about the Windsor's seats as well. But my apprehension subsided when I sat in the car and tried all the seats. It was balanced, with proper firmness. One of those rare products where I could, in fact, agree with the manufacturer's catchphrase- the second row of Windsor does give a business-class feel.
VerdictYes, it might not be a typical SUV-ish shape like the Nexon or XUV400, but it doesn't have to pick that battle alone. With BaaS, the ZS EV might help in this case. However, MG Windsor is one of the more unique launches I have seen recently. It is not the most attractive car around, but it is a product where the marketing and product planning teams have gone out all guns blazing and in sync. The pricing is aggressive yet comes with unique offers to further down those prices. Even with its unusual shape, EV customers would instead focus on the price and the range package, where Windsor presents a compelling case. Windsor is spacious and comfortable and comes with a decent range for any fleet operator, and the straight-line performance is such that it will make regular car enthusiasts happy, too. In a nutshell, the Windsor does the job. Fast.