MG’s new electric hatchback has been revealed, and it wears a name familiar to lovers of both Chinese mythology and Disney films.

    The MG Mulan, which has previously been referred to as the MG 4 and CyberE, will use parent company SAIC Motor’s new ‘Nebula’ electric vehicle architecture.

    We’ve contacted MG Australia to confirm whether the Mulan will come here.

    Despite its hatchback styling, MG is calling it a “pure electric super crossover vehicle”. To that end, MG says it’ll offer a 0-100km/h time as low as four seconds.

    It’ll also offer what MG calls “LBS recumbent cells”, battery cells that promise higher energy density but allow for a slimmer pack to maximise cabin space.

    MG has yet to release details of the Mulan’s powertrain and battery size, though it released a brief description of the vehicle and some images on social media platform Weibo.

    Chinese media reports indicate the Mulan features rear-wheel drive and five-link rear suspension, with a lower centre of gravity to help driving dynamics.

    There’s a rather menacing prow, giving the Mulan a more aggressive look than current electric MGs like the ZS EV and Marvel R crossovers.

    A sharply-creased bonnet meets a set of angular headlights, while the front bumper features aggressive cutouts with vertical air intakes.

    The sides feature some sharp creases, including a horizontal line that runs from the headlights to the rear door, and another line that curves up from the boomerang-shaped tail lights.

    The Mulan will offer a glass roof and brightly-coloured brake callipers, while down back there’s an expansive lighting assembly and a sporty two-part rear spoiler.

    Interior photos haven’t been released, however if you peer through the glass you can see what appears to be a tablet-style infotainment system.

    MG has previously confirmed the new model will measure 4300mm long, which makes it 38mm longer than a Volkswagen ID.3 and around 65mm longer than an Ora Good Cat.

    According to CarNewsChina, the new electric hatchback has been designed with markets like Europe and the UK front of mind, and MG has reportedly conducted extensive global market research and benchmarked the Volkswagen ID.3.

    The UK-market version has been teased and will be revealed in the fourth quarter of 2022.

    The teaser images were titled MG 4, suggesting that could be the export nameplate. That would slot it between the ageing MG 3 city car, and the two different MG 5s: the rebadged Roewe ei5 electric wagon in Europe, and the sleeker petrol-powered sedan in Asia and soon Australia.

    In addition to the Mulan, MG is reportedly working on a pair of electric SUVs plus a production version of the Cyberster concept.

    The latter is reportedly set for a 2024 launch.

    Though MG sells only one electric vehicle in Australia – the ZS EV – the Chinese-owned brand was the second biggest seller of EVs locally in 2021, behind only Tesla.

    William Stopford

    William Stopford is an automotive journalist based in Brisbane, Australia. William is a Business/Journalism graduate from the Queensland University of Technology who loves to travel, briefly lived in the US, and has a particular interest in the American car industry.

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