Battle of the budget: 2023 MG4 becomes Australia's cheapest electric car, beating GWM Ora and MG's own ZS EV

Australia has a new cheapest electric car, at least for now, as a new entry-level version of the MG4 is on its way.

Starting from $38,990 before on-road costs, the MG4 Excite 51 (named for its 51kWh battery) will become the nation’s cheapest electric car when order books open on July 1, undercutting the larger 64kWh battery version by $9000.

It also means the fight to hold the title of Australia’s most affordable electric car just got a little spicier, with fellow Chinese car brand BYD set to announce pricing for its Dolphin this week, a car its local importer has promised will be "Australia's most affordable, high-quality electric vehicle of all time".

In New Zealand, the Dolphin starts from NZ$49,990 (AU$45,355) before on-road costs.

Currently, the cheapest electric cars in Australia are the 48kWh GWM Ora Standard Range, which costs $44,490 drive-away, and the slightly more expensive MG ZS Excite EV at $44,990 drive-away.

Specifications for the MG4 51 are likely to mirror those in the UK, where the 51kWh battery version is called 'SE' and available with a 125kW electric motor output (down on the other model’s 150kW) and the same 250Nm.

Starting from $38,990 before on-road costs, the 51kWh MG4 Excite will become the nation’s cheapest electric car when order books open on July 1.

Range is down by about 100km compared to the 64kWh version, with about 350km. Its charge time with a 150kW-capable fast charger increases slightly from 35 to 39 minutes for a charge from 10 per cent to 80 per cent.

The MG4 rides on MG's new Modular Scalable Platform, and comes with a seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty.

It’s unclear if the base Excite will miss out on any of the standard gear that its bigger-battery sibling comes with, such as the 17-inch wheels, four-speaker sound system and a 10.25-inch multimedia touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

While order books for the new version of the MG4 open July 1, the brand says it expects the first customer deliveries to take place in the middle of August.

2023 MG4 pricing before on-road costs