New MG Marvel-R EV brings 250-mile range for £34,000

MG has confirmed that its new Marvel-R electric SUV will be offered in Europe, providing it with a competitively priced rival to C-segment EVs such as the Kia e-Niro and Nissan Leaf.

On sale from later this month, the Marvel-R is priced from €39,990 (£34,000) in entry-level Comfort trim and €47,990 (£40,820) in range-topping Performance guise, but the brand has yet to confirm details of any UK launch plans. As it would require modificaiton for right-hand-drive markets, any UK variant will not arrive immediately. 

It succeeds the MG Motor HS SUV, which is available with either a pure-petrol or plug-in hybrid powertrain, as the flagship of the MG range, bringing a raft of new design cues and technological features that will trickle down to its rangemates. The updated ZS EV crossover, also revealed today, already benefits from various shared features.

The Marvel-R is also the largest model in the MG family, measuring 4674mm long with a wheelbase of 2804mm – a close match for the similarly priced Skoda Enyaq iV.

Its 357-litre boot expands to 1396 litres with the rear seats folded down, while rear-driven versions also offer 150 litres of storage space in the 'frunk'. 

Comfort and Luxury variants get a dual-motor, rear-wheel-drive powertrain providing 178bhp and 302lb ft for a 0-62mph time of 7.9sec, while the Performance adds a motor on the front axle, boosting output to 285bhp and 490lb ft and cutting the 0-62mph time by a whole 3.0sec. 

A 70kWh battery pack is fitted as standard to all cars, providing the Marvel-R with a WLTP-certified range of 230-250 miles, depending on drivetrain.

It can charge at rates of up to 92kW, meaning it can be charged from 30-80% capacity in 30 minutes and from 5-80% in 43 minutes.

It also offers vehicle-to-load (V2L) reverse-charging functionality, with a maximum load capacity of 2500W available to power external devices.