New Zealand’s most affordable pure electric vehicle is set to become even harder for customers to get their hands on, with a potential supply shortage on the cards.
Priced at $48,990 before rebates, the electric ZS was one of the country’s most popular electric vehicles in 2021, overshadowed only by the Tesla Model 3.
This popularity ramped up when the government introduced its Clean Car Discount rebate in July, effectively dropping the model’s price to $40,000.
Auto Talk intercepted comments online indicating that an MG Motor New Zealand dealer had informed them that the firm had more orders for the ZS EV than it did supply, with supply set to cut off shortly as the brand prepares for the launch of an updated ZS EV.
MG ZS EV Owners Group member Chris Muller reported earlier this week that his MG dealer had informed that a shipment of 150 ZS EVs had just arrived in the country, and that this would be the final shipment of first-generation ZS EVs coming to New Zealand.
He added that the dealer stated that there’s 283 outstanding orders for the model to fulfil.
When approached by Auto Talk with these figures, a spokesperson for MG Motor New Zealand noted that ZS EV sales skyrocketed following the introduction of the Clean Car Discount, adding that the firm is indeed battling to secure supply.
“The implementation of the Clean Car discount rebate in July significantly accelerated the uptake in sales of the MG ZS EV,” the spokesperson said.
“As a result, we sold through what would have typically been months of stock in a very compressed timeframe.”
The spokesperson didn’t confirm whether the figures published online were accurate. But they stated that the brand is trying to secure supply from other channels in a bid to fulfil existing orders.
“A number of extenuating circumstances then impacted on our ability to meet demand in the short term, but we have worked hard to investigate alternative supply channels and source additional stock where possible,” the spokesperson added.
“We are working with our dealers to fulfil existing orders and are also looking forward to the arrival of the all-new MG ZS EV in coming months.”
MG Motor New Zealand recently removed the ZS EV from its website, although this could also be a scheduled change as the brand prepares to introduce its replacement model.
Although inconvenient, it’s a good problem for MG to have. The brand relaunched in Australia and New Zealand four years ago, and has quickly grown into a force to be reckoned with in the crossover market.
The second-gen ZS EV was unveiled overseas last November. Along with several aesthetic changes, the model brings two new batteries to the mix; a 51kWh entry-level battery and a flagship 72kWh battery capable of a range of 439km on the WLTP cycle.
Local spec and pricing information for the model will be revealed closer to launch.
