MG4 touts new battery

Electric-car batteries move ions between two electrodes; replacing more liquid inside the pack with solid material is supposed to cut fire risk and pack more energy into the same space. MG used that pitch on April 15 when it unveiled the 2026 MG4 and put a “liquid-solid-state” battery at the center of the launch. (carnewschina.com) SAIC said the new MG4 will debut at the Beijing Auto Show and sell with both standard battery versions and a liquid-solid-state variant. CarNewsChina reported the battery lineup at 42.8 kilowatt-hours and 53.9 kilowatt-hours for the regular car, with 437 kilometers and 530 kilometers of China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle range, while the liquid-solid-state version starts at 510 kilometers. (carnewschina.com) The MG4’s motor is rated at 120 kilowatts and 250 newton-meters, and MG says the car can charge from 30% to 80% in 18 minutes on 3C fast charging. The cabin adds an 8.8-inch instrument screen, a 15.6-inch central display, Doubao 3.0 voice software, and Horizon Robotics driver-assistance hardware for Level 2-plus highway functions. (carnewschina.com) MG is not using the battery claim in isolation. Data published by CarNewsChina lists a 2026 MG4 “Semi-Solid Anchor Edition” at 99,800 yuan, alongside lower trims from 65,800 yuan to 93,800 yuan, showing SAIC is turning the chemistry pitch into a retail trim rather than a concept-car talking point. (data.carnewschina.com) The timing matters because Auto China 2026 is filling up with launches from brands that want to show more technology, more models, or both. A LUXEED preview published April 16 said the brand will bring the V9 multi-purpose vehicle, the updated R7, the S7 “Xuanyuan,” and the R7 “Pangu” custom edition to the Beijing show. (financialcontent.com) That product rush comes after years of rapid expansion in China’s electric-vehicle market. Caixin reported on March 20 that several automakers were guiding for slower domestic growth in 2026 and shifting attention overseas, with Chery targeting 3.2 million sales this year including 1.6 million exports. (caixin.com) Warnings about oversupply have been building since last year. Carbuzz, citing earlier reporting from CNBC and The Guardian, said average new-car prices in China had fallen 19% and that executives including Xpeng’s chief executive had warned some companies might not survive the year if the price war continued. (carbuzz.com) MG’s own overseas push shows the other side of that squeeze. MG Motor UK said this month that the 2026 MG4 EV starts at £29,995 in Britain for the Premium Long Range, £2,750 below the outgoing model, while the Urban version starts at £23,495. (mg.co.uk) So the MG4 launch lands as both a battery story and a market story: one hatchback, one new chemistry label, and one more attempt to stand out before the Beijing Auto Show opens. The next test is whether buyers treat “liquid-solid-state” as a reason to pay up in a market that has spent the past year pushing prices down. (carnewschina.com)