MG or ByD, the war begins to sell the cheapest electric car in Spain

The news that Volkswagen is preparing a plug-in that will sell for less than 25,000 euros only fuels the war to sell the cheapest electric car in Spain. There are several contenders for the title, beyond the Dacia Spring, today we focus on two manufacturers: MG and BYD.

Although they have many years of experience in the industry, both MG and BYD are relatively new to the Spanish market. MG because although its origin as a British brand dates back to 1920; It was in 2007 when it was reborn as a low cost brand after being acquired by the Chinese company SAIC Motor Corporation.

BYD, for its part, is a Chinese company based in Shaanxi province. Although in Spain it is still quite little known, the truth is that it is the brand that has sold the most electric cars in the world in 2022, with more than 1.8 million units, triple what it registered in 2021.

The company now faces the challenge of being equally recognized in Europe, for which it is closing agreements to sell its cars in the main European markets.

MG4, the electric car that has dethroned the Dacia Spring

The MG4 is an electric car that went on sale in the last months of 2022, but it did not need more than a few weeks to start to overshadow Dacia Spring itself, the highest representative of cheap electric cars in Spain. So much so that in the balance of February 2023, the Spring ranks fourth with 159 registrations and the MG4 climbs to the bronze medal with 253 units sold.

The option with which MG wants to lead sales of cheap electric cars is a zero-emission compact that, on an aesthetic level, stands out for its angular shapes, with a very sharp hood and rear light groups that create a very marked line with an appearance similar to a spoiler and fall below a spoiler split in two. The car is 4.29 meters long.

The MG4 Electric is marketed with two mechanical options that differ in power and autonomy. The 125 kW (170 CV) engine that is powered by a 51 kWh battery and certifies a 350 km autonomy gives access to the range. Above, the MG4 Electric with a 150 kW (204 hp) engine that uses a higher capacity battery (64 kWh) to extend the range up to 450 km.

After having tried it, we can say that the MG4 is a recommendable electric car not only because of its price (part of 20,480 euros, with financing and aid from the Moves III Plan included); also for its quality and technology (although in this section there are aspects that still need to be improved…).

BYD Seagull, an electric car for 9,000 euros?

Before continuing we have to warn that the economic data must be quarantined. Those who say that the BYD Seagull will become the cheapest electric car in Europe and that it will have a demolition price of 9,000 euros are just rumors; numerous and it seems to be well founded, yes, but only rumors.

In addition, it must be taken into account that the information is based on a leak that comes from China, so it is very possible that this is the price that it will have in the Asian market but that the changes necessary to exceed the European homologation, much more demanding, especially in terms of security, forces the bill to rise.

Always according to the leak, the BYD Seagull will be available in five mechanical versions (we insist, in China, it is not known which ones will reach Europe), with autonomy ranging between 265 and 360 km. Also qualify that the range figures comply with the protocols of the Asian market, more lax than the European ones, so here the range will be less.

The one that does have prices for Spain is the BYD Atto 3 that, with a 150 kW motor, 60.48 kWh battery and more than 400 km of signed autonomy starts at 41,690 euros. BYD’s plans for Europe include two more models, but far from what is considered low cost: they are the BYD Tang, a seven-seater electric SUV and the BYD Han electric sedan, both with an initial price starting at 72,000 euros.