[cvkone1]

We were in the market to buy a car to complement our VW Taigun for the city runabout. My mom would majorly use this car to replace her trusty Activa, and it needed to be a small city car as she feels uncomfortable parking the Taigun in tight parking spots and taking it on busy streets. We were also looking for an electric car over an ICE one.

Why EV?
Like many people I have talked to, I had reservations regarding using an EV due to range anxiety and lack of a good charger network across India. But many of these concerns vaporise away if the car only has to be used within city limits and can be easily charged at home.
My second reservation regarding EVs is that even though they reduce the tailpipe emissions in the city, the majority of the electricity available in India is produced using coal, which defeats the entire ‘Going Green’ psyche around EVs. That’s where the solar panels on top of our house came into the picture. We just shifted to our new independent house with solar panels installed on its roof. To my surprise, these panels are really efficient, and since we moved there, we haven't paid the electricity bill.
Close inspection of the meter readings showed that we had produced ~2500 units of electricity in the last four months while consuming close to 500 units. Even considering we'll be using ACs in extremely hot Nagpur during the summer, our household's annual net consumption would still be negative. In such a case, having an EV would drastically reduce our petrol bills for city commutes while going entirely carbon neutral while operating the car.

What we were looking for
• Small City Car
• Good visibility all around
• Should seat two comfortably with space for 4
• The car had to be narrow as our house only has one parking spot and the second new car would need to be parked in a comparatively narrow area beside the parking space

The Search:
1. Tata Tiago: The apparent choice for a cheap EV in India. We were impressed with how airy the cabin felt with the white upholstery. The car also had good city manners, and keeping up and overtaking traffic was a breeze. Unfortunately, with our budget, we could only get the XE Medium Range Variant, which had a lot of safety features one would want but lacked by not having other things which we've come to expect, such as a flip key, no music system, power windows, electrically adjustable ORVMs to name a few. Plus, the car would fit in our additional parking space, but getting in and out was a hassle with the Tiago’s width, and we would always be scared of hitting the door on the wall.
2. MG Comet: I didn't like the MG Comet when it launched. Its design is subjective; the car felt cramped, and the price felt a little high for the entire package. Since then, the design has grown on me, and it looks different from any other car on the road and grabs a lot of attention on the streets of Nagpur. When I went for a test drive, I was surprised at how peppy the car felt due to its low weight. The rear seat was also surprisingly comfortable, and the long doors provided a good passage for people to enter the second row. Also, with the dealer discount, we got the base variant (Pace) for INR 7.9L on-road with a free reverse camera included. I was also surprised by how well-equipped the variant was. The car has a lot of chrome bits and pieces around; it has a hill hold assist, a flip key with boot unlock, one-touch power windows, electrically adjustable ORVMs, etc. My mom also liked driving the car with a good view around owing to the enormous windows. And the icing on the cake was the car was a breeze to park in our limited space, and getting in and out wasn’t a hassle either.

After much deliberation and the offers given by MG, we brought home a White MG Comet Pace, delivered to us within two days of booking the car.

Some Pictures Detailing the Pace Variant








The official reverse camera accessory fits just like the factory-fitted camera on the higher variants

The glowing MG logo attracts a lot of insects while charging overnight

Range and Charging
I am mentioning these for the sake of completing the post. You'll probably find better numbers from people who have owned the car for longer.
Throwing caution to the wind and driving with heavy acceleration in ‘Sports Mode', we were able to get around 180kms of range in a single charge. 190-200 km definitely feels doable easily with a bit of thought and regen braking.
A disadvantage of the Comet is its slow charging, which takes in the neighbourhood of 7 hours to get fully charged, but I think it’s alright as the car is never going to leave the city and should always have enough juice left to reach back home for a sip of charge.
The car came with an MG-branded Legrand box, which consists of overcurrent and overvoltage protection with a 15A plug socket and a switch where you can plug in the portable charger, which also comes included with the car. The installation was free and done professionally.




Waiting for some 3D printed parts to be delivered so that I can tidy up the loose cables and the plug.

The Not So Good
The Comet is precisely what we were looking for, but there are some drawbacks to the car that I'd like to point out.
1. High-speed manners are lacking due to the skinny tyres and tall boy design
2. Normal bumps and holes are alright, but you feel the bigger ones due to the dinky wheel size
3. The car comes with a music system with Bluetooth, but the only display is the instrument cluster, and the controls are steering mounted, which makes it difficult for the passengers to control the audio
4. The same goes for the AC controls. The dials have no markings around them showing the fan speed, etc; instead, one has to look at the instrument cluster to see the fan speed and other controls.



5. The interior lacks enclosed storage spaces, so you must manage around that.

So that you know – that's it for now. Our Chotu Comet has already done 200+ km with zero emissions within a week of purchase, and I plan on updating my findings and experience regarding the car over here.

[nik0502]

Congratulations on the purchase. Definitely it’s a worthy option to consider as a city car. I am surprised to see a real world range of ~ 200 kms. That’s what Tiago LR is delivering.

I too considered Comet briefly. I saw a post from one of the BHPians that MG is offering 1L plus discount on Comet plus there was a subsidy in Noida and the net price for base variant was coming out to be 6.2 lacs. I felt it makes a lot of sense at that price point. Unfortunately the dealer didn’t offer any such discount to me. Plus the subsidy was also gone.


There was 80000/- discount offered on Tiago EV. Hence the XT MR was costing me the same money as Comet. Coupled with the fact that I have to drive daily between Gurgaon and Faridabad (100 kms) daily. Hence decided to go for top variant of Tiago and took delivery on 3rd of this month.

[raj3kdell]

Just got a prompt for system update. Says lot of bugs have been fixed and new features have been added. Installing now. Will update if I find any tangible difference.

[askakhr]

At first, I really enjoyed reading about it. But when I think about the AFA comet, especially considering it's going to cost over 10 lakhs on the road in Bangalore, I can't help but have some doubts. It's hard for me to wrap my head around investing in a car that doesn't really feel like a typical car, to be honest. Sure, it's cute and has a unique design, but at that price point, it's a bit of a struggle for me to see the value in it.

[subie_socal]

Originally Posted by askakhr

At first, I really enjoyed reading about it. But when I think about the AFA comet, especially considering it's going to cost over 10 lakhs on the road in Bangalore, I can't help but have some doubts. It's hard for me to wrap my head around investing in a car that doesn't really feel like a typical car, to be honest. Sure, it's cute and has a unique design, but at that price point, it's a bit of a struggle for me to see the value in it.

TBH, that's with most EVs these days, they are at a slight premium than the ICE counterparts. And for MG Comet, it's clear that it is a pure bred city roundabout, designed to replace your scooters. That's how I view it as.

[v01d]

Originally Posted by cvkone1

Why EV?
My second reservation regarding EVs is that even though they reduce the tailpipe emissions in the city, the majority of the electricity available in India is produced using coal, which defeats the entire ‘Going Green’ psyche around EVs. That’s where the solar panels on top of our house came into the picture. We just shifted to our new independent house with solar panels installed on its roof. To my surprise, these panels are really efficient, and since we moved there, we haven't paid the electricity bill.

Kudos for going green! Few people think beyond money and mileage.
Also I request you to please charge your car during the day as much as possible to ensure that the energy used by the car is truly green.

The entire marketing around "overnight charging" is very convenient but defeats the idea of sustainability. Electricity at night is usually coal powered. We can surely "offset" the units using solar during the day and it will keep our bills down. But that won't necessarily help the environment. If most people buy EVs and solar panels, we will have a lot of surplus power duing the day and coal burning at night. Rather, we should promote "workplace charging" or something like "sunday charging" where the power drawn is truly green.

Anyway, congratulations for your car and thanks for a detailed review!

[callmeneo]

Originally Posted by askakhr

At first, I really enjoyed reading about it. But when I think about the AFA comet, especially considering it's going to cost over 10 lakhs on the road in Bangalore, I can't help but have some doubts. It's hard for me to wrap my head around investing in a car that doesn't really feel like a typical car, to be honest. Sure, it's cute and has a unique design, but at that price point, it's a bit of a struggle for me to see the value in it.

We are in the process of booking a Comet in Bangalore at the Kalyan Nagar showroom.

I had the same thinking as you until the day I test drove it.

My respect for it increased leaps and bounds because MG offered something radical where in it had everything for everyone who used in inside the city on a daily basis.

Its not different to a tiago except for the fact that it has 2 doors less and a lot less boot space( and I believe this isn't important to a car which will majorly be driven in the city and will carry only 1 or 2 passengers most of the time).

But we always compare the price we pay to the real estate we get and this is where the Comet looses out, in the overall end to end dimensions.

The rear seats can seat adults in as much comfort as a tiago does. No two thoughts about it. I would say test it to believe it.

This car is exactly what a city like Bangalore needs.

The only fly in the ointment would be its puny tires and lack of fast charging.

[cvkone1]

Originally Posted by v01d

Kudos for going green! Few people think beyond money and mileage.
Also I request you to please charge your car during the day as much as possible to ensure that the energy used by the car is truly green.

The entire marketing around "overnight charging" is very convenient but defeats the idea of sustainability. Electricity at night is usually coal powered. We can surely "offset" the units using solar during the day and it will keep our bills down. But that won't necessarily help the environment. If most people buy EVs and solar panels, we will have a lot of surplus power duing the day and coal burning at night. Rather, we should promote "workplace charging" or something like "sunday charging" where the power drawn is truly green.

Anyway, congratulations for your car and thanks for a detailed review!

Being totally honest I'm quite new to EVs and solar charging. That's good information you provided never thought of it that way.
Will try to charge it during the day whenever I can rather than overnight charging to actually go completely green!

[vinya_jag]

I hope this segment hots up. Will surely consider this over anything else, when we come to replacing our, now 8 year old Diesel Polo. We use it entirely for city commute, and my father finds it hard to drive it around. The heavy clutch and lowish visibility (Compared to the Alto he was driving for very long) makes it difficult for him. Also, I am sure the Comet would have freed up space inside the garage.
For now, will plan on installing Solar panels atop our house. Any suggestions on going for Battery ones, or non battery ones that feeds back to the circuit?

[maverick029]

Congrats on your purchase, it certainly is a great car.

In another perspective no EV in current market across globe is entirely green in a way due to.

1. Lithium mining pollution being way more that any ICE production and running.
2. Electricity generation at least in india is primarily coal powered
3. Battery life and sustainability is a whole another demon.
4. Resale and battery warranty etc stuff.

I am very intrigued with EVs as well but above factors make me rethink.

[EV Fan]

Originally Posted by v01d

Also I request you to please charge your car during the day as much as possible to ensure that the energy used by the car is truly green.

I think you might have taken the concept of green power a bit too literally. That is not a suggestion any Electrical operator will give even if they have the most green credentials.

Electricity at night or day is completely dependent on which plant is nearby to you on the Transmission & Distribution (T&D) network. In essence unless you are not connected to the grid, and you are using an off grid solar setup to directly charge your EV then it will not matter.
You have to take into account the entire state's CO2 emission per unit(KWh), usually available from your state's "State Load Despatch Center(SLDC)" or The country's "National Load Despatch Center(NLDC)"

Originally Posted by v01d

The entire marketing around "overnight charging" is very convenient but defeats the idea of sustainability. Electricity at night is usually coal powered. We can surely "offset" the units using solar during the day and it will keep our bills down. But that won't necessarily help the environment.

This is not about convenience, it is about "Grid Stability". There is a science behind the statement. Daytime is when everyone is using electricity to the peak and the heat also affects large grid components. So, if EV's start charging in large numbers at the same time, then the grid can get overloaded & destabilize.
Hence they ask non essential loads like EV's to charge & night to smoothen the load curve and reduce the peak's & trough's on the load curve(as seen from our T&D grid's perspective).

So, if someone wants to be truly sustainable, they would have to setup a completely off grid solar setup for charging their EV which is not cost effective, considering 1KWp system can only generate 4-5 units per day while an EV on an average needs 20+ odd units in a single session easily.
If we want to avail the advantages of the T&D grid then we must respect their operational conditions.

This might become a realty soon if India also starts following Time of Day tariff (TOD) structure like some of the other countries.
TOD tariff allocates a higher tariff per unit(KWh) when the grid is loaded and lower tariff when supply is plenty. It has always been observed that the grid is overloaded during daytime and underutilized at night time.

Originally Posted by v01d

If most people buy EVs and solar panels, we will have a lot of surplus power duing the day and coal burning at night. Rather, we should promote "workplace charging" or something like "sunday charging" where the power drawn is truly green.

Though highly optimistic, That would be actually wonderful. But then that needs to be most of the people in the community not just a few good one's.

Originally Posted by cvkone1

Being totally honest I'm quite new to EVs and solar charging. That's good information you provided never thought of it that way.
Will try to charge it during the day whenever I can rather than overnight charging to actually go completely green!

I would recommend charging at night only as the grid is less loaded during night.
So unless your car charges directly from solar & is not connected to the gird, better charge at night.
If you somehow set up a off grid charging for your comet, then it has to be day.

From a electric grid point of view, night is better. That is why, lot of countries follow Time of Day tariff (TOD) where daytime electricity tariff (per unit cost) is higher than night time. They do this to encourage non essential loads during night time rather than at day time when the grid is almost over-loaded critically.

More importantly the night temperatures are cooler, making the charging better and more effective at night unless temperatures in the area are sub 10 degrees Celsius(in which case it would be better to charge during day).

Disclaimer - Have worked in the T&D grid, solar setups, EV's and sustainability, so on the same bandwagon.

[lemedico]

Off topic,
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but don't all EVs have a push button start? You've mentioned that the lower variants of the Tiago don't have a flip key.

[gauravdgr8]

Congratulations on the car. Will surely help you save money in fuel.

Seeing a Comet vs Tiago comparison, atleast I would have bought a Tiago considering safety, even if I am using the car only in the city. Plus a 8 lac price tag for a Micro car is something I cannot wrap my head around.

[askakhr]

Originally Posted by subie_socal

TBH, that's with most EVs these days, they are at a slight premium than the ICE counterparts. And for MG Comet, it's clear that it is a pure bred city roundabout, designed to replace your scooters. That's how I view it as.

Exactly my view. No matter how much I try to convince myself I just cant see Comet as a replacement for my car, even for city drive. However, I second your opinion of it being a perfect replacement for my scooter. But then I wont pay 10L+ for a scooter .

I am currently in the market looking for a city drive car for my wife and thats how I came across Comet. But I simply cant see myself paying that price for that car.

[pgsagar]

Originally Posted by callmeneo

Its not different to a tiago except for the fact that it has 2 doors less and a lot less boot space( and I believe this isn't important to a car which will majorly be driven in the city and will carry only 1 or 2 passengers most of the time).

No. The major difference is, Comet can't be charged at fast-charge stations. It doesn't have the requisite socket. You will have to rely only on home-charging. Even occasional highway runs can't be undertaken. Tiago can be charged at fast-charge stations.