MG4 Urban to gain brand new battery tech with improved efficiency and faster charging
Semi-solid-state batteries are coming to the MG4 Urban, and they should bring some improvements...
The MG4 Urban will be offered with a brand new semi-solid-state battery that should bring improved range, faster charging and quicker acceleration.
Dubbed SolidCore, the new battery will be offered alongside the current 41.9kWh and 52.8kWh (usable capacity) batteries currently offered in the MG4 Urban, but both of those are lithium-ion phosphate (LFP) units.
Semi-solid-state batteries use mostly solid-state electrolytes instead of the usual liquid or gel electrolytes, leading to a higher energy density – meaning you can fit more energy into the battery without having to drastically increase its size.
According to MG, the new units should be able to resist temperature changes more effectively than regular LFP batteries, improving charging speeds by 15% and increasing power response by 20% (meaning faster acceleration). These batteries also should be safer since there’s fewer flammable liquid electrolytes, and offer a longer range.
The tech is due to make its way onto the recently-revealed MG4 Urban by the end of this year. For reference, the current MG4 Urban has a maximum official range of 258 miles from its larger battery, and can charge at speeds of up to 87kW.
The energy density of the semi-solid-state batteries in the MG4 Urban is expected to be similar to the current LFP batteries available. Indeed, we expect the official range figures will likely only be slightly higher, but the main benefit, according to MG, will be better resistance to low temperatures and improved efficiency. For example, cold weather often means that electric cars won't travel as far as they would in warmer conditions – but the semi-solid-state batteries should improve on that.
The new batteries will also be fitted into MG’s plug-in hybrid cars later on – but the exact models have yet to be confirmed. Currently, MG offers its HS and S9 SUVs as PHEVs.
MG recently revealed another member of the MG4 family, the MG 4X, in China, a higher-riding, chunky sibling to the 4 and 4 Urban. It comes fitted with a 53.95kWh semi-solid-state battery, yielding 317 miles of range according to China’s CLTC test cycle, which is rather generous compared with the WLTP testing used here in Europe. It’s unclear if that model will make it over to the UK, though.
The Chinese brand is currently working on bringing all-solid-state batteries to its cars, which reportedly have the potential to yield more than 620 miles (or 1000km) on a single charge.
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