Supertest MG 4 Urban 54 kWh: charging and range times from our test — don’t rely on its peak charging speed!
The MG 4 Urban has proven its excellent efficiency levels in our testing facilities. All that remains is to test it on long-distance drives.
The MG 4 Urban represents a unique offering in the Chinese manufacturer’s lineup. Larger than the MG 4, with which it shares only the name, it targets an urban-oriented market segment, featuring a lower battery capacity and reduced range. In practice, it has confirmed its remarkable efficiency, allowing it to offer a range comparable to that of the best compact electric vehicles. What’s left is to evaluate its charging performance. And once again, reality turns out to be quite different.
MG 4 Urban 54 kWh: Recap of Our Tests
We released the first part of this Supertest last week. Here is a very brief overview of the figures:
WLTP range: 405 km
WLTP fuel consumption: 15.5 kWh/100 km (13.0 kWh/100 km net)
Mixed driving: 13.4 kWh/100 km – 390 km
Long-distance driving: 20.4 kWh/100 km – 260 km
MG 4 Urban 54 kWh charging curve: 10-80% in 28 minutes
The technical specifications state that the MG 4 Urban has a maximum power output of 87 kW, achieving an 80% charge in 30 minutes. In reality, these figures are met, with a peak power of 88 kW and a charging time of 28 minutes. This results in an average power at the charger of 87 kW, or an average net power (without charging losses) of 79 kW. In other words, the MG 4 Urban once again delivers the most accurate fulfillment of its promises, with an average power equal to the reported peak power.
This isn’t some magic trick. To achieve this, the car features a charging curve (or rather, a charging plateau) with a maximum power of 10% to just over 70%. As is typical for such curves, it’s clear that the charging power has been limited. Either due to technical reasons (the cables used restrict the intensity the system can handle) or for marketing purposes, so as not to overshadow the regular MG 4, which can accept 165 kW with its 62 kWh net capacity LFP battery. In either case, it’s believed the Urban could charge much faster. The charging time to full isn’t unreasonably long, with an additional 27 minutes needed to reach 100% charge.
10% to 80%
80% to 100%
10% to 100%
Charging time (in minutes)
28
27
55
Range gained (in km)
180
51
231
Typical charging curve
This modest charging power, which still allows it to achieve an average slightly higher than that of urban electric cars, enables the MG 4 Urban to charge without issues at most charging stations in the network. However, caution is advised regarding certain lower-power stations: due to limitations imposed by the installation and the lower voltage of the LFP battery, the actual charging power may not be met. We recorded a peak of only 68 kW at a 120 kW station. This isn’t insurmountable, as it extended the 10-80% charge time by 8 minutes. Lastly, this reasonable power level also limits the battery’s temperature rise during fast charging, especially on scorching days.
Range regained: 190 km in 30 minutes
Based on this charging curve and the calculated ranges, the MG 4 Urban can regain 100 km of highway range in 15 minutes and 190 km in 30 minutes. These results are similar to those of the Peugeot e-308, while the Peugeot e-3008 performs only slightly better. The Urban outperforms competitors such as the Renault Megane E-Tech and the Volkswagen ID.3. For a more representative mixed-use scenario that reflects typical driving conditions, it is estimated that 290 km of range can be regained in 30 minutes.
Cost of charging for MG 4 Urban 54 kWh
Average-wise, fast charging stations delivered a total of 40.5 kWh at 10 to 80% charge levels. There is a significant 10% discrepancy here compared to the net capacity in this range. Based on this, and considering a public price of 0.60 €/kWh at these stations, the usage cost ranges from 8.8 €/100 km on mixed routes to 13.3 €/100 km on highways. With an operator subscription, which could reduce the unit price to 0.39 €/kWh, the costs would be between 5.8 and 8.8 €/100 km. Finally, for home charging at the base price, the mixed cost is only 3.0 €/100 km.
Fueling Cost (10 to 80%)
Mixed Route Cost
Highway Cost
Home AC Charging (0.19 €/kWh)
8.1 €
3.0 €/100 km
–
Public DC Charging Stations (0.39 €/kWh)
15.8 €
5.8 €/100 km
8.8 €/100 km
DC at public chargers (0.60 €/kWh)
23.9 €
8.8 €/100 km
13.3 €/100 km
Charging and usage costs
Travel time for 500 km: 5 h 12
For this typical 500 km journey between Lyon and Paris, the MG 4 Urban required only two stops, each lasting 22 minutes. This amounts to a total of 44 minutes of downtime, bringing the overall travel time to 5 h 12. Thus, the Urban performs as well as a Peugeot e-308 and is closely competitive with its newer “sister model,” the MG 4 64 kWh. It also outperforms cars like the Volkswagen ID.3 58 kWh (5 h 20) before its facelift.
Supertest MG 4 Urban 54 kWh: the verdict
The MG 4 Urban is a large compact car that resembles a small city car, with features typical of the mid-range segment. However, despite what the certification figures suggest, the MG 4 Urban truly performs like a compact car. Its impressive efficiency allows it to achieve range levels comparable to those of vehicles equipped with batteries that are about ten kilowatt-hours larger. Added to this is a particularly attractive charging curve, which enables it to catch up with its competitors despite its modest power output.
Spacious inside, practical with its large trunk, more enjoyable to drive than just to look at, the MG 4 offers the simplicity of a city car for daily use along with a very acceptable level of versatility for long trips in its class. This vehicle can thus easily take on the challenging role of the family’s primary car! This is a rare trait in the electric vehicle segment, where it’s sometimes necessary to compromise on versatility and comfort, or on size and price on the other hand—cars best suited for traveling tend to be large and expensive!
At the point of checkout, the MG 4 Urban also performs very well. The Comfort 43 kWh version is listed at 24,995 €, while the 54 kWh version starts at 27,495 €. The Premium trim is automatically paired with the larger battery in this test model, priced at 30,495 €. But to attract more customers, MG applies a fixed discount of 5,005 €, bringing the price of this test model down to 25,490 €. There’s no need to look elsewhere—the price/performance ratio is unbeatable.