MG Comet EV | Ideal Or Impractical? | Road Test Review

After taking the Comet EV on a test drive involving highway and city driving, I was pleased to discover that it achieved a real-world efficiency of 11-12 km per kilowatt hour. This translated to an actual range of around 190-200 km, which is more than adequate for daily use. The battery capacity is 17.3kWh lithium-ion with ferrous phosphate chemistry, which is sourced from Tata Autocomp. MG Motor has ditched the DC fast charging, and the car can only be charged via AC charging. The maximum charging output you can get is by installing a 3.3KW Type-2 AC fast charger. And on a standard 3-pin 15-amp power socket, it took around 9-10 hrs to get it fully charged. The car's lack of support for DC fast charging significantly impedes its convenience factor. Take, for example- Mumbai boasts a substantial quantity of DC fast chargers, which will only continue to grow. The support of DC fast charging could provide peace of mind, as it allows flexibility. So, the usability factor is limited to someone with a fixed schedule and a predefined route. In urban cities with limited space and time, depending on AC charging could be a problem. 

The Comet EV gets three driving modes - Eco, Normal and Sport. Eco feels a bit dull. However, be it any mode, speeding up the car from 60-70kmph takes time. It's still those speeds; the Comet feels sportier to drive. The Normal mode is best suited for regular use, while the Sport mode provides a bit(not marginal) more exciting experience. The Comet EV has three levels of regenerative braking, out of which the high level feels too strong, not as strong to get the car to complete stop, so one-pedal driving won't be possible. I did stick to the mid-setting for Regen, as it felt like the most appropriate option.

Comet EV feels zippier to drive, making it even quite fun to put it through paces. MG Comet EV weighs 817 kgs, linking it with 42 hp of power and 110Nm of electric torque, spinning the rear wheels. Numbers might not excite, but the performance is more than adequate in the real world. Once you get on to cruising speeds, tyre and motor noise are audible. Although you will appreciate its zipper performance, once that dulls down, you will find more comfort driving the Comet at slow to medium speeds. Because the more you gain the speed, the more unstable it will feel. 

I took a Comet EV on a highway run, and just after a few kilometres, it felt like a wrong decision. Comet feels quite insecure among the numerous cars speeding alongside it. 12-inch wheels, narrow tyres, body roll during sharp turns, and its lightweight character make Comet a better city slicker rather than a highway relaxation. Smaller tyres, along with less suspension travel, do add a bit of a discomfiting drive, too - you can feel the suspension work and over big potholes - it would quite common to notice suspension bottoming out. The steering is so easy to operate and coupled with a turning radius of 4.2m - manoeuvrability becomes easy. Tight parking spots, narrow, bustling streets - no problem. The visibility is spot on, and you sit a bit up, thus giving you a better view of the surroundings. The braking setup comes up with a disc at the front and drums at the rear, and the bite and feedback from the brakes are pretty satisfactory. However, during my drive, I had one instance wherein I had to do panic braking, which unsettled the car a bit.