EV vs Hyrbid dilemma: Get the MG ZS EV or the Toyota Hyryder?

I am looking for comfortable ride quality, decent rear seat space, usable boot, long-term reliability and good fit & finish.

BHPian fordfreak recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Needed some help in deciding between a Hybrid and an Electric – Toyota Hyryder (V Hybrid) and a MG ZS EV (Exclusive), respectively. Both vehicles are within budget.

The car’s annual running would be in the region of 9,000 – 10,000 KMs, in 100% city traffic conditions, usually with air conditioning being used. Won’t be using this for highway journeys at all, as we already have a diesel automatic in our garage for such occasions.

I am looking for comfortable ride quality (Kolkata roads resemble the Martian surface), decent rear seat space, usable boot, long-term reliability (I will end up keeping the vehicle for at least 8 years) and good fit & finish. As this vehicle will mostly be used by my parents, I won’t be looking to carve corners with it.

I also had a few noob-ish questions about EVs.

• What would be the minimum charge level at which one should recharge, to ensure the long-term battery life degradation is kept to a minimum?
• What happens if an EV is left plugged in to the charger despite battery level being a 100% (like we are advised against charging mobile phones once the battery is full)?
• Driving on flooded streets – Is it safe to treat an EV the same as an ICE vehicle when driving through flooded streets?

Thank you in advance!

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

The MG ZS EV is perfectly suited to your kind of urban usage. Go for it, enjoy electric propulsion technology and you'll be a convert. Added bonus = the ZS EV is a lot more fun to drive than the boring Hyryder Hybrid.

Take 1 test-drive of the ZS EV and you'll have the answer. It's faster than the Hyryder, has better quality, zero emissions, more refined (no engine sound) and your folks will love it.

I am not an EV owner or expert, but I believe it's best to cap @ 80% for Lithium-Ion batteries. On the other hand, the LFP battery of the ZS EV can be taken to 100% without worry. The ZS EV is a superbly engineered electric car.

Here's what BHPian Shreyans_jain had to say on the matter:

With your kind of usage, the BYD E6 makes a lot more sense over HyCross as well as ZS EV. The rear bench of the BYD has far more space, and is very supportive. There are no batteries blocking your feet, the seat itself is placed at the perfect height and ease of ingress and egress is just about perfect. Ride quality is excellent, I will say better than even the Toyota (ZS is not even close), as is the visibility outside. The EV drive is very well judged for comfort - rapid yet linear acceleration. Zero noise, zero vibrations and superb insulation. More importantly, the standard 5L km battery warranty is more than 3 times what Toyota and MG are offering. BYD Blade batteries are among the best and most rugged ones out there. E6 is the ideal car for parents to be driven around and occasionally drive.

Here's what BHPian cefiljoseph had to say on the matter:

I think it’s not prudent to buy the hybrid version of the Hyryder. The cost difference doesn’t justify unless you use it for a few lakh kilometer but by then the battery would need replacement in hybrid models so that negates the cost.

W.r.t doubts on the electric cars,

1. It’s ideal to maintain the charge levels between 20 and 80 percentage. Recharge using a regular charger when the battery percentage is at 20 and stop when it’s at 80. This helps in the longevity.

2. EVs are generally quieted with smart management systems that stops charging when full. Shouldn’t be anything if concern.

3. Theoretically an EV is the safest bet when driving through a flooded environment. A comparable ICE vehicle has many failure points which could go wrong. Moreover electric vehicles are designed to be water-resistant particularly to tackle such situations.

Here's what BHPian GoBabyGo had to say on the matter:

Hello Fordfreak - Although technically MG ZS EV suits your requirement (on paper), but I have voted for Toyota Hyryder. In my view EV in India is still not justifiable for the price they are available. I don't want to say that MG's offering is not good but it is priced too high. Also as of now I am not sure if EVs will be suitable for India in the long run due to infrastructure barrier (we still don't have sufficient CNG stations even in Delhi). I am even anticipating that government may come up with a separate electricity consumption slab for EV home charging (may be a separate electricity meter too). Even though your requirement is strictly for city usage, but you will be using it for relatively short distance drive in a year. If your annual usage is more than 20k to 22k then an EV costing 29 lacs make sense. Also MG ZS EV has no badge value justifying the additional price you pay for it (over petrol MG Astor).

Toyota Hyryder is technically a product which will never get faded in near or longer future. It's interior may not be as sophisticated (say soft touch material) as MG, but it is pleasing to eye. It is as (or little more) spacious than MG ZS EV.

I am attaching a pic comparing expense of both (figures may not be absolute correct), which may be useful to you.

My suggestion, go for Toyota Hyryder.

My best wishes to your purchase.

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