MG Marvel R Electric 2021: 0-100km/h in 4.9 seconds with 400km of range

MG has announced the new 2021 Marvel R Electric which is pitched as a practical and capable midsize SUV that will launch into the European market in May 2021, with Australia a possibility but not yet confirmed. 

The Marvel R Electric was announced this week alongside the more toned down MG 5 wagon, with both claiming a WLTP-tested range of 400km.

The 400km range figure is significantly higher than the 270km (WLTP) found in the MG ZS EV small SUV currently on sale in Australia, making the Marvel R Electric a far more flexible vehicle to drive every day.

An MG Australia spokesperson told Chasing Cars the MG 5 is unlikely to make it to Australia but it was hoping to get its hands on the Marvel R Electric SUV in the future.

“We’re really excited to see the Marvel R electric SUV, and we think Australians would love the performance,” he said.

“At this stage there are no plans to offer these cars in the Australian market, but we’re looking very closely at what’s being done in other MG markets around the globe.”

MG has equipped the Marvel R Electric with a total of three electric motors, with one at the front and two at the rear developing a combined 212kW of power and 665Nm of torque. 

That power is enough for it to accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in an impressive 4.9 seconds. A rear-wheel-drive model with two motors at the rear will also be released but no performance specifications have been released. 

While the exact size of the lithium-ion battery is not quoted, MG says you can recharge the Marvel R Electric’s battery from 0 to 80 per cent in 30 minutes using fast DC charging. A three-phase 11kW AC charger is available but a charging time is not stated.

Those living in colder areas will welcome the addition of an internal heat pump that helps the Marvel R Electric charge more quickly when in difficult conditions.

Similar to the Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP platform, MG has integrated a vehicle to load (V2L) system that enables passengers to use the car’s battery to power applicants such as a laptop if needed.

Climb into the Marvel R Electric and you’ll first notice the 19.4-inch touchscreen in the centre and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster directly in front. The interior features an overall minimalist design that MG says gives a bigger emphasis to the technology on offer. 

Unlike previous models, the Marvel R Electric is equipped with a front boot area adding an additional 150 litres of storage space to the cabin in addition to the 357 litres in the boot with the rear seats up or 1396 when folded down.