MG ZS EV After 3 Years and 40,000 km: A Real-World Ownership Review

Owning an EV long-term is where the real story unfolds, far beyond spec sheets and brochure ranges. Recently, a detailed 3-year / 40,000 km ownership review of the MG ZS EV surfaced on Team-BHP, and it offers one of the most honest perspectives on what living with an electric SUV in India actually feels like.

Having followed EV ownership trends closely myself, I found this experience extremely relatable, especially for buyers considering an EV as their primary, highway-friendly car.

About the MG ZS EV

The MG ZS EV is positioned as a premium electric SUV and remains one of the more mature EV offerings in the Indian market.

Key specifications at a glance:

Battery: 50.3 kWh
Power: 177 PS
Torque: 280 Nm
Claimed Range: 461 km (ARAI)
DC Fast Charging: 0-80% in ~60 minutes
AC Charging: 8.5-9 hours
Motor: Permanent Magnet Motor
Transmission: Automatic
Seating: 5

Pricing:

₹17.99 lakh – ₹20.50 lakh (ex-showroom)
₹13.00 lakh + ₹4.5/km (BaaS option)

Ownership Context: Why This Review Matters

The car has now completed 40,000 km over nearly 3 years, making this an ideal checkpoint to evaluate long-term reliability, battery health, charging practicality, and whether the ZS EV can truly replace an ICE vehicle.

The owner bought the ZS EV with three clear goals:

Primary family car
Frequent long highway trips
Ownership horizon of at least 10 years

Let’s see how the MG ZS EV stacks up against these expectations.

Reliability as a Primary Car

For a primary vehicle, reliability is non-negotiable. According to the owner, this is where the ZS EV has been rock solid.

The car has been driven through flooded roads, extreme heat, and heavy monsoons without a single reliability scare. Confidence levels are high enough that the owner has comfortably finished 1,200 km drives with 8 consecutive DC fast-charging sessions, even arriving home with a single-digit state of charge.

Notably, the car never displayed the common EV quirks seen in some competitors, such as sudden power reduction or AC shutdowns under stress.

From my perspective, this level of confidence is what separates a good EV from a truly usable one.

Highway Driving and Long-Distance Performance

Taking an EV on highways in 2022 required courage. Charging infrastructure was sparse, and planning was critical. Fast forward to 2025, and the experience has changed dramatically.

The owner frequently drives aggressively, even harder than their ICE car, thanks to low running costs and instant torque. Despite this driving style, the MG ZS EV consistently delivers for trips up to 450 km.

A key insight that stood out to me:

For trips close to an EV’s ARAI-rated range, you rarely lose time compared to an ICE car, since most drivers take at least one meal break anyway. Pair that with a quick DC charge, and journey times often end up shorter than an ICE equivalent.

Charging Infrastructure: A Game Changer

Charging infrastructure around Bangalore and Western India has improved significantly.

Routes like:

Bangalore – Chennai
Bangalore – Coimbatore

now offer 50+ reliable DC fast chargers, where a 20-minute charging stop is often enough to comfortably reach the destination.

The owner reports over 30 outstation trips, with only 3 instances of ~1 hour delays, mostly back in 2023. By 2025, confidence in road-tripping has gone up substantially.

Places Covered on Road Trips

Some of the notable destinations driven from Bangalore include Chennai, Coimbatore, Kodaikanal, Thanjavur, Udupi, Coorg, Pondicherry, Tirupati, Bekal, Pune & Mumbai, Surat, Shirdi, Somnath and more.

This alone proves that a 300+ km real-world range EV is now genuinely usable across most Indian highways.

The One Notable Technical Glitch

There was only one significant issue during ownership.

While charging with the AC on, the owner stopped the charging session without turning off the AC. This triggered “HV Battery Shutoff” and “Vehicle Control System Fault”.

Fortunately, being tech-savvy, the owner cleared the error using an OBD dongle and continued the journey without visiting a service center.

While rare, this highlights that basic EV technical awareness is still beneficial for stress-free ownership.

Ownership Observations After 40,000 km

Heat Rejection and Cabin Comfort

The stock glass offers limited heat rejection. The owner installed Llumar sun film:

70% visibility on windshield and windows
50% visibility on the sunroof

Despite common concerns, there were no issues at RTO checkpoints, improving cabin comfort significantly.

Battery State of Health (SoH)

Battery degradation is often the biggest fear with EVs, but the ZS EV tells a reassuring story.

Current SoH: 95.3% after 3 years
Observed real-world degradation: likely under 2%

Interestingly, SoH calculation seems conservative, reducing marginally each day, but occasionally recalibrating upwards after full AC balance charging.

Counterintuitively, frequent DC charging appears to help maintain higher SoH, likely due to better battery balancing.

Tires and Brakes

Tires lasted around 32,000 km, comparable to a Honda CR-V. Uneven wear shortened lifespan slightly, but overall performance of the Continental UC6 tires was satisfactory.

Brake wear has been minimal. Thanks to strong regenerative braking, brake pads have outlasted those on comparable ICE vehicles, contradicting the myth that EVs wear brakes faster.

Autocharge Convenience

Features like Autocharge dramatically simplify DC fast charging. Plugging in and having charging start automatically within 30 seconds is described as “magical” and something I believe every EV owner should enable.

The One Area Where the ZS EV Feels Dated

If there’s a clear weakness, it’s DC fast-charging speed.

Despite charging at 120 kW+ chargers, the ZS EV typically peaks around 60 kW, making the car the bottleneck. While this is acceptable today, charging infrastructure is evolving fast.

In my view, DC charging speed will soon matter as much as range, especially for buyers planning long-term ownership. Faster charging ensures an EV stays relevant for a decade, not just a few years.

Will the MG ZS EV Remain the Primary Car?

The owner plans to keep the ZS EV long-term but expects it to transition into a secondary, city-focused car soon. Interest is shifting towards newer EVs like the Mahindra electric twins, which promise faster charging and newer platforms.

That said, the ZS EV has already proven itself as a dependable long-distance companion.

Final Thoughts: Where EVs Stand Today

For anyone who can charge at home or office and is comfortable with technology, buying an EV above ₹15 lakh makes complete sense today.

The biggest hurdle, DC charging availability, has largely been crossed. While government-backed chargers still struggle with reliability, private CPOs like Chargezone, Zeon, and Jio-BP have built an impressive, dependable network.

Grid reliability remains a concern, but battery-backed chargers and increasing EV demand should push long-term improvements.

From everything I’ve seen and experienced indirectly through stories like this, EV ownership in India has crossed the point of no return.

Frequently Asked Questions — FAQs

Q. Is the MG ZS EV reliable after 3 years?

Yes. After 40,000 km, the ZS EV has proven extremely reliable with no major mechanical or electrical failures.

Q. What is the real-world range of the MG ZS EV?

In highway usage, expect 300–350 km comfortably, depending on driving style and speed.

Q. How much battery degradation occurs over 3 years?

The reported SoH is 95.3%, with real-world degradation estimated at under 2%.

Q. Is the MG ZS EV good for highway trips?

Absolutely. With improved charging infrastructure, long-distance trips across multiple states are now practical.

Q. Does frequent DC fast charging harm the battery?

In this case, frequent DC charging did not cause noticeable degradation and may have aided better battery balancing.

Q. Should I buy the MG ZS EV in 2025?

It remains a solid, reliable EV, but buyers focused on frequent highway trips may want to prioritize faster DC charging speeds in newer EV models.