MG Motor India’s second product offering – the ZS EV – was unveiled earlier this month. Now, the carmaker has begun accepting bookings for the zero-emissions vehicle. Citizens residing in Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Bengaluru can deposit a minimum of Rs 50,000 to reserve one. The company will start offering the EV in other parts of the country, depending on how it performs and how rapidly the supporting infrastructure develops.

Powering the ZS EV is a front-mounted electric motor that produces 141bhp/353Nm, and a single-speed unit handles transmission duties. As far as the battery is concerned, it has a capacity of 44.5kWh and that, as per MG, is enough for an ARAI-certified range of 340km. For those who put quick acceleration at the top, the ZS EV can hit 100kmph from nothing in 8.5 seconds.

The ZS EV does support quick charging (DC and AC). With a 50kW DC feed, up to 80 per cent charging is achievable within 50 minutes. Such chargers will be available at all MG dealerships in cities mentioned above. For offices and homes, the carmaker will offer a fast 7.4 kW charger which can replenish the battery from zero to 100 per cent in 6 to 8 hours. The slowest charging option is through a 15amp socket using which the car could take up to 18 hours to completely charge.

Like it did with the Hector, MG will offer a host of features with the ZS EV. That list includes an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, LED DRLs, 17-inch alloy wheels, panoramic sunroof, a PM 2.5 air filter and cruise control. Thanks to MG’s i-Smart 2.0 technology, the ZS EV will also boast over sixty connected-car features such as remotely controlling the AC, automatic emergency calling, live traffic information and geofencing.

MG Motor India is likely to price its EV between Rs 22-23 lakh. That makes it a direct rival to the Hyundai Kona Electric, which goes up to Rs 23.91 lakh. Another all-electric SUV that will go on sale early next year is the Tata Nexon EV. That, however, is likely to be a sub-Rs 20 lakh model.