MG will donate 1,000 electric vehicle chargers to regional and rural motels and hotels, MG Australia CEO Peter Ciao said on Wednesday.
Speaking at an online media event, Ciao announced the carmaker’s plans to select hotels and motels to be the recipients of the EV chargers in order to “contribute to the local community.”
“An EV car has good driving performance,” said Ciao, “and (they are) very good for the environment but this car (has not been) supported in Australia until now.”
“In MG’s future strategy – we (believe we) need to contribute. MG’s investment in cooperating with 300-1,000 hotels – it’s a way to try our best to contribute to the local community,” he said.
GM for MG Australia’s EV division Danny Lenartic said, “We’re excited about this scheme,” adding that MG would look to partner with specific operators who would be invited to apply for consideration through the carmaker’s new mgelectric.com.au website.
Eligibility will include “3 star hotels in regional and rural Australia,” he said. “The reason for this strategy is to offer access for people who drive EVs in regional and rural areas who feel they couldn’t get there in an electric vehicle. Now they can.”
Set to be delivered within 12 months, the chargers won’t only be accessible for MG drivers, Ciao added. Fitted with the now Type 2 plug standard, the 7kW (single phase) and 11kW (three phase) chargers would be able to charge up an electric vehicle overnight while the driver sleeps at the hotel.
The same scheme may also be introduced in New Zealand down the track, although Ciao noted that for various reasons – headquarters being located in Australia, the greater need for regional chargers here as well as learning to navigate the way in cooperation with accommodation operators, local councils and energy providers – the project will commence locally.
If successful, the plan could then extend to accommodate other types of hospitality providers, a spokesperson told The Driven.
Currently, MG has one electric vehicle for sale in Australia – the MG ZS EV, which is the country’s cheapest electric vehicle available at $44,900 driveaway.
Ciao also announced that MG will rebrand its plug-in hybrids. From now on, MG PHEVs will be known as “Plus EV”, to convey the fact that its PHEVs, which include the HS Plug-In Hybrid, have both an electric drivetrain and a combustion engine: an interesting approach, but one we fear does not press home the fact that for PHEVs to achieve promised fuel efficiency they must be plugged in, and regularly.
“By renaming our HS electrified vehicle as Plus EV, we can provide greater clarity to the market,” said Ciao.
“The renaming of the HS Plug-In Hybrid to Plus EV makes it clear to the buyer that they are purchasing an electrified vehicle.
“The HS Plus EV gives you the best of both worlds, combining remarkable performance and technology with low-emission practicality, and offering MG customers more choice in their day-to-day lives.”
Bridie Schmidt is associate editor for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She has been writing about electric vehicles since 2018, and has a keen interest in the role that zero-emissions transport has to play in sustainability. She has participated in podcasts such as Download This Show with Marc Fennell and Shirtloads of Science with Karl Kruszelnicki and is co-organiser of the Northern Rivers Electric Vehicle Forum. Bridie also owns a Tesla Model 3 and has it available for hire on evee.com.au.
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