Chinese EV leaders MG and BYD bring the price war overseas

MG launched the new MG4 EV Urban in the UK, priced at just £23,495 ($32,000), undercutting BYD’s popular Dolphin hatch as more affordable electric cars hit the market.

MG undercuts BYD with new MG4 EV Urban prices

BYD, SAIC MG’s MG Motor, and other Chinese carmakers are eroding market share in Europe, the UK, and other overseas markets with lower-priced, and often more advanced, EVs.

After launching the MG4 EV in the UK in 2022, it quickly became one of the most popular electric vehicles in the region with up to 323 miles of range, fast charging in under 35 minutes, and a spacious interior. It was widely viewed as a cheaper alternative to the Volkswagen ID.3.

A year later, BYD launched the Dolphin in the UK, one of its most popular EVs in China, undercutting the MG4 by about £500 ($700), priced from £25,490 ($34,800).

MG upped the ante, launching the new 2026 MG4 EV Urban starting at just £23,495 ($32,000). David Allison, MG UK’s Product and Planning boss, said the new model “reconfirms our brand’s ability to make EV ownership ever-more accessible, offering a family-sized electric available from just £23,495.”

The cheapest Comfort Standard Range trim is powered by a 43 kWh battery pack and 147 hp motor, providing up to 201 miles of WLTP range.

Upgrading to the Comfort Long Range, starting at £25,495 ($34,800), gains a larger 53.9 kWh battery and 158 hp motor, delivering 258 miles of range. The Premium Long Range is available from £27,995 ($38,200).

The new lower-priced MG4 Urban EV will be sold alongside the standard 2026 MG4 EV, starting from £29,995 ($41,000).

Chinese carmakers, led by MG and BYD, already accounted for nearly one in every ten cars sold in the UK last year. With new, lower-priced models arriving, it will be interesting to see what share of the market they control by the end of 2026.