We saw the MG IM5 and IM6 who want to compete with Tesla, but that we may never meet in France

MG Motor, if we count as such, is the Chinese manufacturer who has granted himself the most important market share in France with 1.45 % in 2024. So we tell ourselves that the brand of English origin, under the lap of the Saic giant, is well placed to compete with Tesla.

MG had already testified to this intention by presenting the IM Motors brand models on its stand at the Geneva Motor Show. IM (for Intelligence in Motion) is a joint venture between SAIC, the e-commerce giant Alibaba and the Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park, which offers electric cars higher-end than those of MG.

A sedan and a SUV to face the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y

From now on, it is at the Festival of Speed in Goodwood (England), that we find the electric cars of IM, this time badged MG. For export, the IM L6 and LS6 indeed become the MG IM5 and IM6.

The IM5 is a large 4.93 m long sedan, while the IM6 is a 4.91 m SUV. They are therefore larger than the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, without reaching the Giganism of Model S and Model X.

In terms of technical sheets, the two models offer batteries up to 100 kWh of capacity. The IM5 sedan announces up to 709 km of WLTP autonomy and the SUV IM6 up to 624 km. The two models benefit from an 800 V architecture in high -end version. This allows you to reach up to 400 kW of charging power for a 10 to 80 % in just 17 min with the 100 kWh battery. It is ten minutes better than at Tesla, which remains faithful to a 400 V architecture less conducive to high loading powers.

The interior of the two models aims to be purified and put on quality materials. A screen is placed on the central console, in addition to a double slab on the dashboard. MG, however, probably abandoned the passenger screen offered in the Middle Empire.

In the United Kingdom, MG markets its IM5 sedan from £ 39,450 with a 75 kWh battery, against £ 39,990 for a Tesla Model 3 (€ 39,990 in France). The SUV IM6 is billed from £ 47,995, this time automatically with the 100 kWh pack, against £ 44,990 for a Tesla Model Y (€ 44,990 in France). Admittedly larger, MG models therefore do not display such aggressive prices against Tesla. This is also the reason why the customs duties applied by the European Union to electric cars produced in China condemn the marketing of IM5 and IM6 within 27. MG indicated to Clean automotive That its IM5 and IM6 will not be sold in France, at least for the moment, because the brand would not be able to be competitive once these customs duties have been acquitted.

Recall that SAIC has the highest customs duties inflicted on electric cars produced in China, with no less than 35.3 % to add to the 10 % of general import rights. MG plans to build factories in Europe to avoid these customs duties, but it is unlikely that the IM range is the first to see its production repatriated to the old continent.

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