MG 2 EV confirmed as rival to BYD Atto 1

An MG 2 electric vehicle is coming to showrooms as soon as 2027, according to the brand’s British arm, which said the automaker was spurred on by the success of the Renault 5 launched earlier this year. 

Speaking to Autocar, David Allison – head of product and planning at MG Motor UK – confirmed a new smaller, cheaper model to battle rivals such as the BYD Atto 1.

“It’s the obvious area of the market that’s next to happen” he told Autocar, adding “we will absolutely be in there”.

The MG 2 would provide an alternative to the Atto 1 – known elsewhere as the Seagull and Dolphin Surf – which arrives in Australian showrooms this month as the cheapest new EV in Australia with a base price of $23,990 before on-road costs.

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The cheapest electric MG in Australian showrooms is currently the MG 4, larger than the Atto 1, priced from $37,990 before on-road costs.

MG Motor Australia has not yet confirmed the MG 2 for its local lineup.

In terms of pricing, Mr Allison said value would be prioritised over a low sticker price.

“Other brands and other products have come in that are the cheapest,” he said. “That’s not the space we occupy, and I don’t necessarily think it will be the space that we can occupy.”

“The [MG] ZS is [Nissan] Qashqai-sized, but it’s [Nissan] Juke money, and I dare say we will see something similar with the 2,” he added.

Autocar reports the MG 2 will share the MG 4’s Modular Scalable Platform.

MG Australia currently offers a range of EVs in its showrooms. It sells the MG 4 alongside the MG S5 EV, an SUV similar in size to the BYD Atto 3, Kia EV3 and Hyundai Kona Electric, with the range capped off with the flagship Cyberster roadster.

It also offers the IM5 sedan and IM6 SUV EVs as the first two models for its IM Presented by MG Motor sub-brand, which was launched here in mid-2025.

In 2026, MG Australia will add another small hatch to its local lineup, with confirmation the new Chinese-market front-wheel drive MG 4 will be sold here alongside the existing rear/all-wheel drive MG 4. It’s also set to introduce the MG S6 EV, a mid-size electric SUV.

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