Can the MG Mulan electric hatchback take the fight to the Cupra Born and Volkswagen ID.3? Long driving range and sports car-like 0-100km/h time for Chinese EV

MG is ramping up its plans for global domination with a sporty new electric hatchback that is set to change perceptions of the Chinese brand.

The Mulan crossover hatchback is MG’s first truly global car, according to the company, and it will pack a powerful punch, with a healthy driving range too.

The good news is it looks like the Mulan will eventually be offered here, with an MG Motor Australia spokesperson confirming approximate timing.

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“We are currently reviewing the MG Mulan for the Australian market and exploring different variants. It is unlikely that we will see this model before H1 2023.”

The Mulan name is familiar to people in China, but the model was previously expected to be called MG4, sitting above the popular but ageing MG3 light hatch. CarsGuide understands it may adopt a different moniker in Australia but it's unclear what that will be.

Freshly released images show an aggressively styled smallish model with big front air intakes, wedge-like headlights, a sporty sloping roofline, slightly raised ride height and pinched tail-lights that are very reminiscent of the Hyundai i20 hot hatch.

A split tailgate-mounted spoiler, a rear diffuser and large sporty wheels hint at the Mulan’s sporting potential.

MG is pitching the Mulan as a sporty rival for the likes of the Cupra Born, but there will also be more sensible versions that will compete with related Volkswagen products like the ID.3 hatch, as well as the Renault Megane-E-Tech.

According to MG, the range-topping dual-motor version of the Mulan can dash from 0-100km/h in just 3.8 seconds, which is just a few tenths of a second off the likes of the Tesla Model S and the Porsche Taycan.

The rear-wheel drive Mulan will use a five-link rear suspension setup and has a turning circle of 5.3 metres, while MG claims a 50:50 weight distribution.

It is underpinned by MG’s new Nebula EV platform with its One Pack battery packs ranging from 51 to 64kWh. The Chinese giant has also highlighted how small the battery pack is, measuring just 110mm thin for the smallest capacity unit.

Driving range runs from approximately 400km for the smallest to 600km for the largest.

At 4287mm long and with a wheelbase of 2705mm, the Mulan is slightly shorter than the Cupra Born.

Following a debut in its Chinese home market, the MG Mulan will be offered in parts of Europe later this year. It’s unclear if it will be offered in Australia, but MG Motor Australia has been contacted for comment.

MG already offers the ZS EV SUV in Australia, as well as the HS plug-in hybrid so it’s not a stretch to think the Mulan would eventually make it Down Under.

MG’s local executives have been talking up a future Corolla-sized electric hatch that could undercut the ZS EV (from $46,990 drive-away) for price, and it looks like the entry level versions of the Mulan could fit that description.