MG Motor India has provided the first look at its new platform, ADAPT. An acronym for ‘Advanced Drive Architecture Platform Technology’, this NEV (New Energy Vehicle) architecture will underpin MG India's upcoming plug-in hybrid (PHEV), strong hybrid, range-extender hybrid, and EV models. There will seemingly be no pure-ICE offerings based on ADAPT.
MG ADAPT platform: The finer details
Petrol engine with up to 43 percent thermal efficiency
Hybrid offerings based on ADAPT will feature a new naturally aspirated petrol engine that boasts lower fuel consumption and a thermal efficiency of up to 43 percent. Considering petrol engines usually yield thermal efficiencies in the 20-35 percent range, this is quite impressive. MG has not revealed details like displacement, cylinder count, and power output for this hybrid-focused engine, but it did confirm that the mill will be paired with a DHT (direct hybrid transmission).
DHT with world-first electromagnetic e-clutch
The DHT gets an electromagnetic e-clutch that claims four times quicker responses compared to conventional units. Compared to the e-CVTs usually seen in hybrid cars, a DHT is a more complex mechanism incorporating mechanical gears, enabling better torque delivery and a more traditional driving experience. There's also a 10-in-1 drive unit that integrates a permanent magnet synchronous motor and a 2-stage reduction gearbox, managing the outputs of the engine and electric motor and delivering them to the wheels.
All of the aforementioned powertrain components, combined with the battery, can operate in four driving modes: Parallel, Series, Engine Direct, and Pure EV. In Parallel Mode, both the petrol engine and electric motor drive the wheels, while in Series Mode, the engine acts as a generator for the battery and the motor solely handles propulsion duties. Engine Direct Mode, as the name suggests, has only the engine driving the wheels, whereas in Pure EV Mode, the engine shuts off and the battery and motor take over.
These driving modes effectively preview the different types of powertrains that will be offered with the ADAPT platform. Strong hybrids will likely feature Parallel and Engine Direct modes, range-extenders correspond to Series mode, EVs will expectedly run in Pure EV mode, and PHEVs will be able to run all of them.
Which upcoming MG model will be the first to use the ADAPT platform?
EV and PHEV versions of Starlight 560 SUV expected
The first MG model to be underpinned by ADAPT will be the upcoming India-spec version of the Wuling Starlight 560, a 7-seater SUV that's available in both EV and PHEV guises globally. Many test mules of the Starlight 560 have been spotted on Indian roads over the past few months, and its design was also patented here in March 2026.
MG is expected to first launch the EV version of the Starlight 560 in India in about a month's time. It will be followed up by the PHEV version of the Starlight 560, though its launch timeline remains unclear at the moment. The SUV will bear MG branding and is expected to use a different name too.