Even though the variant-wise pricing for MG Comet EV is not out, the company has revealed the starting price. MG Comet EV costs from Rs. 7.98 lakh, undercutting both Tiago EV starting from Rs. 8.69 lakh and Citroen eC3 starting from Rs. 11.5 lakh (all prices ex-sh). Despite the lower pricing, MG Comet is not the mass market EV offering or the only car in one’s garage.
Just under 3m long, 1.5m wide and 1.65m tall, MG Comet is a little tall boy hatchback. Citroen eC3 comes off as the largest vehicle with the biggest luggage carrying capacity of 315L. In comparison, MG has no real boot space when all four seats are up.
On paper, MG Comet EV is the least powerful vehicle and has the smallest battery as well. 42 bhp as opposed to 56 bhp of Citroen eC3 and up to 74 bhp of Tiago EV. Torque is comparable to Tiago EV at 110 Nm, but is no match to eC3 at 143 Nm. That said, MG Comet weighs just 815 kg, as opposed to Tiago EV at 1155 kg and eC3 at 1316 kg.
MG Comet is the only vehicle on this list to get adjustable regen braking. Other brownie points include three drive modes Eco, Normal and Sport. Both eC3 and Tiago EV get two drive modes each. Comet EV promises a range of 230 km, while eC3 promises 320 km and Tiago EV Long Range variants promise up to 315 km.
Speaking of the actual battery, MG gets the smallest at 17.3 kWh. Tiago EV offers either 19.2 kWh or 24 kWh batteries and Citroen eC3 has the largest battery at 29.2 kWh. Tiago EV is the quickest to 60 km/h taking just 5.7 seconds and boasts a top speed of around 120 km/h. MG is yet to produce detailed acceleration and top speed figures.
Comet EV lacks DC fast charging which is likely to be a primary irritant for prospective buyers. Both Citroen and Tata support DC fast charging. All three EVs on this comparo come equipped with a 3.3 kW AC charger as standard. But Tata Motors offers an option for a 7.2 kW AC charger. Charging times are the lowest with Tiago EV.
MG has left no stone unturned where features and creature comforts are concerned. It gets two 10.25” horizontal displays. A touchscreen for infotainment and a non-touchscreen for driver’s instrumentation. Steering-mounted controls, a cute key fob with keyless entry are notable features. That said, automatic climate control, and auto-dimming IRVM found on Tiago EV, are given a miss.
Small 145/70-R12 tyres wrapped on 12” steel wheels are not the best for Indian road conditions. Fat 195-section 15” tyres on Citroen eC3 are the best bet at gliding over uneven patches. MG Comet EV features 55+ connected car features too. The main chink in Comet’s armour is that it lacks the convenience of five doors and any usable boot when all seats are up. MG Comet EV is a best bet as a second or third car in one’s garage and probably not their only car.