Behold the MG Comet, India’s cheapest EV

This, folks, is the new MG Comet. It's just been revealed in India with the aim of being the country’s cheapest and cheerfulest electric car at a mere £7,800, give or take a few pennies.

As you can see from the images above, it ain’t big. At just under three metres long it boasts a tiny turning radius smaller than that of the Honda e, and somehow MG promises ‘extra leg room’ in all four seats. Though it doesn’t say what ‘extra’ is based on.

Some numbers for you: a 17.3kWh battery (that’s less than you get in a RAV4 PHEV!) results in 143 miles of range, while the permanent synchronous motor is good for 40 horses and 81lb ft of torque. 0-62mph? Not given, we assume because it’s not achievable…

Meanwhile 0-80 per cent charge takes five and a half hours, or seven hours if plugged into a measly 3.3kW plug socket.

The Comet gets McPherson struts on the front axle and a multi-link coil rear, while there are brake discs on the front wheels. And the rears? Drums. Gotta save some beans somewhere.

Inside there’s actually a good deal of tech: twin 10.25-inch digital displays top the dash (Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are both standard) and you get a rear camera and parking sensors too.

There’s also a digital key with sharing function with up to two other people, and MG claims there are more than 55 connected car features and over 100 pre-programmed voice commands. Neat.

There are some red flags though. The (admittedly eight-year warrantied) battery is described as ‘water resistant’, which rather suggests it wouldn’t stand up to European safety standards.

At 798,000 rupees (approximately £7,817 at current exchange rates), the Comet is designed to undercut Tata Motors’ Tiago EV.

Twin test, anyone?