The MG Windsor EV has been a grand success in the Indian market, with the first iteration of the EV having garnered over 15,000 bookings on its first day, coupled with robust sales numbers in its segment. The next iteration of the Windsor EV, called the Windsor EV Pro, garnered over 8,000 bookings on its first day, which is no slouch either. Equipped with a larger battery and a few functional additions, is the Windsor EV Pro worth the premium?
Let’s take a look at the on-paper specs and ex-showroom prices (These may change at any given time, given MG’s price hike of 1.5 per cent in the fray). With an ex-showroom tag of Rs. 16.14 lakh for the top-spec Essence variant, the same variant of the Windsor EV Pro bears an ex-showroom tag of Rs. 18.09 lakh. This is a difference of Rs. 1.95 lakh. The standard Windsor EV is equipped with a 38kWh battery pack, returning a claimed range of 332km, while the Windsor EV Pro gets a larger, 52.9kWh battery, and a claimed range of 449km.
What Changed?
With the MG Windsor EV Pro, the story doesn’t end with a bigger battery pack. The updated EV also gets a Level 2 ADAS suite, dual-tone Ivory interiors, V2V (Vehicle-to-Vehicle) and V2L (Vehicle-to-Load) reverse charging, new colourways, better charging speeds (45kW for the standard Windsor and 60kW for the Windsor Pro), and a powered tailgate. Barring the paint scheme, everything else is an incremental upgrade, and the jump in prices isn’t too steep either.
Driving Dynamics, Power, and Range
While the standard Windsor EV gets a claimed range of 332km, it delivered a range of 264km, which is 80 per cent of the on-paper claim. This is impressive, given that the segment sits at a 70 to 75 per cent ballpark. While we haven’t had the opportunity to test the real-world figures of the Windsor EV Pro, we expect it to return a real-world range of around 350km. This should be able to do a Mumbai-Pune-Mumbai trip without needing to charge up.
Mechanically, both the MG Windsor EV and the Windsor EV Pro get the same 100kW/200Nm motor. While the latter gets a larger battery, it is safe to assume that the same motor will stress out a little more, owing to the fact that a bigger battery increases the kerb weight. The driving dynamics are stellar nevertheless. The Windsor EV Pro is definitely a fun-to-drive car. What we don’t like is the fact that the ORVM adjustments are done via the central touchscreen, which is finicky and takes a bit of getting used to. This applies to both large and small battery pack versions.
The Final Call
Given that the Rs. 1.95 lakh premium is not a very steep jump and the vanilla Windsor EV itself is replete with features, it boils down to how much you are willing to shell out. If you meticulously plan your commutes, want to undercut spending, and are okay with the 264-kilometre real-world range, the vanilla Windsor EV is the perfect fit for you. In case you wish to go for a fully-loaded package without compromising on range (overlooking the cost factor), the Windsor EV Pro will allay your range anxiety by a significant margin.
