MG Motor India has already introduced several support initiatives for the fight against COVID-19
Global businesses, especially the automotive industry, have been badly affected by COVID-19 outbreak. In India, the government’s lockdown protocol has brought the automotive market to a near standstill while many dealerships are on the verge of going out of business permanently. With limited resources and making use of online platforms, major OEMs are trying their best to minimise losses. Meanwhile, leading brands have come forward with various support packages for the fight against COVID-19.
The unprecedented outbreak has become a threat to employment as well. MG Motor India was one of the first automotive brands in India to announce a zero job cut business strategy. Besides financially backing the government’s COVID-19 efforts, the SAIC-owned company has also introduced an ‘Affordable Ventilator Challenge’ among manufacturers. The aim is to develop low-cost ventilators and bring them to the market in the shortest possible time. MG Motor India has also addressed the requirement of PPE kits, surgical masks, glovers, sanitisers, disinfectants as well as food and ration kits.
The company has now decided to provide 100 Hector SUVs to doctors, medical personnel, police force and local government authorities for safe travel amidst these difficult times. The initiative extends to the end of May. Similarly, MG Motor UK has supplied 100 MG ZS EVs to the NHS (National Health Service) agencies across the United Kingdom.
Each Hector unit will be accompanied by a dedicated driver, trained to follow proper health guidelines. The vehicles will be handed over at MG Motor dealerships across the country with adherence to the brand’s ‘Disinfect and Deliver’ process and the respective state governments’ safety protocols.
In between all these efforts, MG Motor India is going forward with its plans to introduce two new products: Hector Plus and Gloster. While the MG Hector Plus is essentially a three-row version of the existing model, the MG Gloster is a luxury SUV sold as the Maxus D90 in global markets. Reports state that it will be priced competitively to be a serious threat to the Toyota Fortuner and Ford Endeavour’s market. However, in terms of powertrain and equipment, the MG Gloster plays in a much higher segment.
After the Hector, MG Motor India introduced the MG ZS EV. Though available in limited cities, the ZS EV is one of the three best electric vehicles sold in India at present. The automotive market has witnessed a drastic fall lately but once the situation gets better, MG Motor India would be able to get back on track with its upcoming products.