MG Revises Free Charging Terms for Windsor EV, Owners Not Happy

JSW MG Motor’s Windsor EV drew attention by providing free fast charging for one year to customers who pre-booked the vehicle. This incentive was designed to make the transition to an electric vehicle easier by cutting operating costs for early adopters. However, events took an unexpected turn. 

Although the offer was always intended for individuals who pre-booked, MG later amended one important detail: free charging is now limited to 1,000 units of electricity per car for one year. Many Windsor EV owners are disappointed by the new cap, as they had expected free charging without any restrictions for a year. Here’s everything you need to know about this incident.

The Promise

At the Windsor EV debut, MG Motor India offered free fast charging for a full year as a special benefit to consumers who placed pre-orders. The promise was straightforward and appealing: if you pre-booked the car, you would receive free fast charging at certain charge aggregator partners for one year. This was a way to thank customers for their early faith in the brand and to keep the operating cost of their Windsor EV in check. 

Here's a screenshot of the Terms & Conditions from 2024:

The initial communication focused on the benefit without going into minute details, which made the perk seem even more generous to those excited by the prospect of owning an EV.

The Change

Despite the initial offer, MG later altered the terms and conditions to include a cap of 1,000 units of electricity per car while using fast charging. That means that once a pre-booking consumer has used up 1,000 kWh of free charging, any extra fast-charging will be billable. This was not part of the initial offer at launch, which has caused a lot of misunderstanding. 

Here's a screenshot of the Terms & Conditions from 2025, post the change:

Many owners who purchased the vehicle during the pre-booking offer were unaware that the one-year free charging offer would be limited in this manner. The decision to revise the terms and conditions after the launch has become a source of criticism.

The owners are not really happy with the way it was silently updated.

The Statement

Faced with rising voices from the customers, JSW MG Motor India released a press release explaining the modification in terms and conditions. In their statement, they reiterated that the free charging offer would have a 1,000-unit limit per vehicle, and this cap was added at a later stage via the terms and conditions document.

Here’s an excerpt from the official statement.

“However, to address increasing instances of usage that exceed our fair usage policy as well as risk the health of battery due to non-recommended charging practices, we are updating a new public charging usage limit.

We encourage all MG owners to review the charging guidelines in their owner’s manual for best practices related to battery health and longevity, including mindful use of DC fast charging. We sincerely appreciate your understanding and cooperation, and we are confident that this adjustment will enable us to keep offering valuable charging benefits to our community.”

The Why?

As the free charging offer gained popularity, there were also rumoured instances of some Windsor EVs being used for commercial purposes, violating MG’s fair usage policy. 

Furthermore, constant fast-charging could have an impact on battery health. To address these concerns, MG amended the free charging offer to include a 1,000-unit limitation per vehicle. This change is intended to prevent overuse, extend battery life, and ensure fair charging for all.

Let’s Do The Math

During our test of the MG Windsor EV, we found that charging the battery from 1% to 100% consumed approximately 40 units of electricity.

Based on this, MG’s 1000 unit limitation gives users 25 full charges. 

With our tested range of approximately 260 km per full charge, this translates to 6,500 km (25 x 260 km) of free driving before owners need to start paying for public fast charging.

Our Thoughts

Many Windsor EV owners believe that if the limit had been disclosed more explicitly, then the frustration could have been avoided. Transparency is really essential, particularly in an ever-changing sector like automobiles, specifically EVs, which sees an update almost every day.  

While the fine print allows MG to legally modify the terms and conditions of the offer, it does leave a sour taste amongst the buyers. While clear communication sets correct expectations and also creates long-term loyalty among buyers. 

JSW MG Motor’s decision to cap the free charging offer at 1,000 kWh (or units) is a case which helps them keep the operational costs under check, but it also serves as a reminder of how important clear and upfront communication with customers should be.

What are your thoughts on this whole situation? Let us know in the comments.