The $8,000 MG Comet EV Blew Me Away

Some of the world’s most congested cities are in India. My native Pune, in the western part of the country, is one of them. It’s one of the two “Detroits” of India (the other being Chennai) with Tesla India’s corporate office, Mercedes-Benz and Tata Motors factories and some of the worst traffic anywhere on the planet. The norm here is if you see an opening, you drive into it. Oncoming vehicles, lane discipline or any rule of law can all go to hell. The MG Comet EV was born for this type of mayhem.

To keep moving in such conditions, you either ride a two-wheeler or hop into an auto-rickshaw (tuk-tuk) both of which are far less comfortable than cars and can be hard on your spine. If you want to get around quickly and fairly comfortably, you have to get creative, though. Big, conventional cars are tough to shepherd through the chaotic streets. Enter microcars. These are small, lightweight and nimble vehicles designed for urban settings. Think of the Fiat Topolino and Citroen Ami in Europe, the discontinued Smart Fortwo in the U.S. or the Mahindra E2O in India. These days, the MG Comet EV is the microcar that’s been turning heads in the country.

Britain’s MG Motor, owned by China’s SAIC Motor, sells several EVs in India. The Comet EV is one of the newer and more popular ones. It is a badge-engineered version of the SAIC-GM-Wuling Air. But unlike the Wuling Air manufactured in China and Indonesia, the Comet EV is assembled in Gujarat, a state in western India. It starts at $8,000 (7 lakh rupees) and comes with a battery-as-a-subscription (BAAS) sales model that allows you to rent the battery at a small monthly fee, effectively lowering the purchase price.

So what’s the MG Comet EV like to drive? Is that price too good to be true? For that money, is it a compromise or something truly unique? I hopped behind its wheel to find out.

(Full Disclosure: While I was on a personal trip to India, MG Motor loaned me a Comet EV for one week. It arrived with a full charge and I returned it likewise.)

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Small Solution For A Huge Problem

At just 117 inches long (2,947 millimeters), the Comet EV is half the size of a BMW i7. Its stretched-out 79.1-inch wheelbase (2,010 mm) means all four wheels are at the extreme corners of the car, like a go-kart. It rides on petite 12-inch steel wheels—roughly the size of a medium American pizza. At 59.2 inches wide (1,505 mm), it’s about as wide as my home office desk. It weighs 1,796 pounds (815 kilograms), about two-thirds the weight of the Ultium battery in the GMC Hummer EV. A Mazda Miata weighs about 600 lbs more.

Yet, the cabin offers more room than you’d expect. I’m 5’ 7” and had enough room in the second row to sit behind a 6’ 3” friend in the front seat. Tall passengers can get comfortable at the front but not in the rear. The cabin is also very narrow, so plus-sized adults may not enjoy the space all that much.

Having four seats in such a tiny EV comes with some inevitable compromises: It has neither any significant luggage space behind the rear seats nor a frunk. The tailgate opens to enough room for a couple of laptop bags and a charging cable. With the rear seats dropped, though, there’s ample space for two full-sized suitcases. Yet its small size comes with a big personality.

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The Comet EV turned heads everywhere I went. Despite its shrunken dimensions, it exudes a premium and futuristic vibe. The Apple Green paint stands out, but even the Candy White I drove was no less of a crowd magnet. The full-width light bars at both ends look neat, with the headlamps and taillamps positioned above the front and rear bumpers. The throw of the headlamps at night was fantastic, as good as a Tesla. The door seemed disproportionately large, but that meant ingress and egress was easy, even when hopping at the back.

You can pull up to a five-star hotel driving this and hand the keys to the valet without feeling out of place.

Smaller Than A PHEV Battery

This is where things get a bit, erm… idiosyncratic. The Comet EV’s specifications are underwhelming on paper. Its rear axle-mounted electric motor produces 42 horsepower and 81 pound-feet of torque (110 Nm).

The motor draws power from a 17.3 kilowatt-hour lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery. A Toyota RAV4 plug-in hybrid gets an 18.1 kWh battery, for reference. The Comet EV’s battery is sourced locally from Tata AutoComp, part of the larger Tata Group, which is also the parent company of Tata Motors and the owners of Jaguar Land Rover.

Despite the tiny battery, the EV’s lightweight construction means it still offers enough range for the city. MG says it can cover 230 kilometers (143 miles) on a single charge. That’s based on the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) test cycle, which gives out overly optimistic efficiency figures like China’s CLTC or Europe’s WLTP. The range would be a lot shorter on America’s stricter EPA cycle, but the MG doesn’t have to worry about that.

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I got a calculated efficiency of 6.5 miles per kilowatt-hour. That’s based on the energy delivered by the charger, not accounting for charging losses. The EV doesn’t tell you the actual energy consumed by the battery—so it’s likely that the efficiency could be a bit better. But based on that figure, the real-world range in the city is about 112 miles on a single charge—more than enough for a country where the average daily driving distance is estimated at 21 miles.

Annoyingly, it doesn’t get DC fast charging. So Level 2 AC charging is all you have. A 10-80% charge using a 7.4 kW dispenser takes about 2.5 hours. A 240-volt socket will take seven hours for a full 0-100% charge. With India still in the early adopter phase of electrification, charging infrastructure was spotty. Oddly, there were far more DC fast charging stations in the city than Level 2 plugs, which was frustrating. I found several curbside Level 2 chargers, but most were vandalized and inoperable.

It Steers Like A Shopping Cart

Driving the Comet EV around town felt like steering a shopping cart. Forty-two horsepower is abysmal for an EV, but it’s adequate for such a lightweight car. Eco mode caps the speed at a modest 50 miles per hour (80 kph), whereas Sport mode pushes it slightly over 62 mph (100 kph). Sport mode did feel sprightly though, with the MG even spinning its rear wheels under acceleration.

But the real thrill comes from weaving through traffic. Bottlenecks are common in large Indian cities, where wide roads suddenly turn to single-lane pathways. That means vehicles use every inch of the road. Spot a gap, and the Comet slips through with ease. Combine that with instant acceleration and it got me grinning ear-to-ear every time I floored the throttle. It appeared to be the fastest car in the city, leaving pretty much every other non-two-wheeler in the rear view mirror.

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The tiny 12-inch wheels and limited suspension travel don’t do much for ride comfort. While the soft setup cushions small undulations at low speeds, hitting potholes over 30 mph sends jolts up your spine and rattles the cabin. Plus, I didn’t exactly feel safe in the Comet, although does get dual airbags and stability control. On the highway, surrounded by towering trucks and SUVs, the Comet’s diminutive size made me feel vulnerable. It’s also susceptible to harsh weather. With its “IP-67-rated water-resistant battery,” it’s unclear if it can handle water-clogged streets. I also can’t imagine driving it through strong winds with the fear of getting swept away.

In its natural habitat, though, under ideal weather, the Comet reigns supreme. It’s built for one thing—zero-emission city driving—and it excels at it.

Infotainment And Connectivity

The Comet EV boasts dual 10.25-inch screens—one for infotainment, the other for the gauge cluster. The central display is smooth, with no lag or frame drops. Wireless Android Auto ran without any gremlins. While most functions are controlled through the touchscreen, it also gets physical controls for climate, drive modes and media, with additional controls on the steering wheel.

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But the gauge cluster is frustrating. Despite its sizable 10.25-inch screen, it offers scant information, leaving much of that screen size underused. You get the essentials: drive mode, speed, range and battery percentage. But that’s about it. The left side displays voltage and current—practically useless for everyday driving. It would have been far more helpful to see charging speeds and the amount of energy added here.

On a brighter note, the interior fit and finish was top-notch. Chrome embellishments on the gear selector knob, air vents and HVAC controls gave a premium feel. However, the narrow cabin leaves no room for cupholders in the center console. Instead, they’re on the dashboard in front of the air vents—so good luck keeping your coffee hot.

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Verdict

The Comet EV’s $8,000 starting price factors in the cost of the battery. But you can choose to rent the pack instead for a small per-kilometer fee that’s less than a dollar (2.5 rupees per kilometer), which lowers its starting price by roughly $2,200. So, essentially you only pay for the vehicle and then the distance you drive after the purchase.

But that said, the Comet EV is not an all-rounder. It’s far from it. When parked, you can easily rock it with one hand, watching it sway left and right on its dampers—that’s how lightweight it is. That’s great for the city but not exactly confidence-inspiring for the highway. Its range is merely adequate. Charging capability is less than ideal. Yet, it shines in one crucial area—darting through traffic. It navigated the city fairly comfortably, with room for grocery bags, suitcases (with rear seats dropped), and ample digital connectivity.

It turned heads everywhere I went. Barbers at the salon I frequent stepped out to check it out. My tailor was curious about it. My neighbors, friends and relatives couldn’t stop asking about its price and range. This interest stems from a broader problem faced by commuters—crippling traffic congestion which appears to worsen every day without a clear solution in sight. It’s no silver bullet to solve that problem, but it’s one of the fastest, zero-emissions and comfortable ways to get around.

It’s a one trick pony and a brilliant one at that.

Have a tip? Contact the author: suvrat.kothari@insideevs.com