On the same weekend that GWM slashed RM 26k off the Ora Good Cat’s selling price, MG Motor Malaysia announced that it will be launching the BYD Dolphin-rivalling MG 4 and BYD Atto 3-rivalling MG ZS this Wednesday.

Both models have been previewed earlier with estimated prices. This Wednesday’s launch will see the confirmed price announced.

MG is the most successful Chinese battery EV (BEV) brand in Europe. Last year, MG sold 231,818 units in Europe, putting it well ahead of BYD’s 15,707 units, according to data compiled by Jato Dynamics.

Brand familiarity helps put MG ahead of BYD, at least in Europe. The opinion that brand heritage doesn’t matter to BEVs does not hold true for European car buyers.

Like BYD, MG sells a mix of BEV and plug-in hybrid models. However, MG recently added a non-plug-in, regular hybrid MG 3.

In Malaysia however, MG's line-up will be pure BEVs. While MG may have been a popular brand in Malaysia in '50s and '60s, it is almost unknown to the current generation of car buyers, while BYD is now a household name in BEVs, so MG won’t have it easy here. MG Motor Malaysia knows this, which is why Wednesday’s launch may include a very important announcement.

Rumour has it that MG Motor Malaysia is finalizing an agreement to appoint a very respected car distribution company in Malaysia as its master dealer.

MG Motor Malaysia, operating under SAIC Motor Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. - a wholly owned subsidiary of China’s SAIC Motor - will remain as the national sales company (NSC), but a lot of the heavy lifting to push MG models to Malaysian customers will be done by this soon-to-be announced master dealer.

MG has since signed up 16 dealers, including BMW and Volvo dealer Seong Hoe.

MG also owns the Maxus brand, which is distributed by Westar. This arrangement will remain. MG Motor Malaysia’s focus will be on passenger cars, while Westar will sell Maxus vans and pick-up trucks.

MG’s entrant into the sub-RM 150k BEV segment will mean that there are now three brands (dormant Neta don’t count) competing for market share in a segment that can barely support two brands.

Expect a lot of mudslinging and more intense price wars to come.

Below is a list of BEV models in Malaysia, in the circa RM 100k – RM 150k range:

• BYD Dolphin Dynamic Standard: RM 100,530
• BYD Dolphin Premium Extended: RM 125,530  
• MG 4 Standard: RM 104,000 (estimated)
• MG 4 Lux: RM 129,000 (estimated)
• MG 4 Extended Lux: RM 149,000 (estimated)
• MG 4 XPower: RM 159,000 (estimated)
• Ora Good Cat 400 Pro: RM 113,800
• Ora Good Cat 500 Ultra: RM 143,800
• MG ZS: RM 129,000 (estimated)
• BYD Atto 3 Standard Range: RM 130,430 (after discount, 2023 manufacturing year cars)
• BYD Atto 3 Extended Range: RM 148,430 (after discount, 2023 manufacturing year cars)

Also read:

MG4 EV previewed in Malaysia - 4 variants, up to 435 PS/600 Nm, est price from RM 104k

From est. RM 129k, MG ZS EV open for booking in Malaysia, 176 PS/280 Nm, 320 km WLTP range