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MG ZS EV

Posted: Wed, 02 Sep 2020, 09:34
by KlinkPC
Sometime in the next few months I should be getting a MG ZS EV.
I know it has limited range and therefore I am wondering what I need if I decide to travel a bit around South West WA.
The fast chargers in this area are somewhat unreliable. Does anyone have any advice on any extra cables I might need? Is it worthwhile staying in caravan park cabins and using the granny charger or look for a motel with a Tesla destination charger?

Re: MG ZS EV

Posted: Wed, 02 Sep 2020, 10:25
by Bryce
Hi Bob - as you're interested in this topic: jump in on the Melb AEVA Zoom meeting next week, I am doing a presentation on just that topic!

Just PM me your email address and I'll send you the link. (Link is not publicly available - only goes out to Vic AEVA members and invitees).

It will also (hopefully) be recorded and put up on the AEVA YouTube site. I say 'hopefully' as we forgot till after the start of the last meeting presentation to press record ... then accidentally forgot to turn it off before the meeting bit, so it was all too hard to put just the talk on the Web!

Will put up a post here if we do manage to record and upload it to YouTube. (The trials of virtual meetings ........)
Cheers
Bryce

Re: MG ZS EV

Posted: Wed, 02 Sep 2020, 15:33
by antiscab
KlinkPC wrote: Wed, 02 Sep 2020, 09:34 Sometime in the next few months I should be getting a MG ZS EV.
I know it has limited range and therefore I am wondering what I need if I decide to travel a bit around South West WA.
The fast chargers in this area are somewhat unreliable. Does anyone have any advice on any extra cables I might need? Is it worthwhile staying in caravan park cabins and using the granny charger or look for a motel with a Tesla destination charger?
Welcome Bob :D

I have charged off a normal powerpoint at a motel heaps of times with the zoe (though admittedly usually on the sly)

chargefox can let you know which chargers are working before you depart.
Does the MG have DC fast charge?

how fast is it's AC charger? I would bring at least a cable to plug into a normal 10A power point (better if you can bump it up to 15A if you find one), a type 1 to type 2, and a type 2 to type to (as some stations are like that)

I go down south probably once every 3 or 4 months

I have a friend down that way who has chalets - Birchfield farmstay

it's mostly off grid, but they have a 20kw solar array, so if it's even vaguely sunny, charging is no issue

Re: MG ZS EV

Posted: Wed, 02 Sep 2020, 19:58
by g4qber
https://ev-database.org/car/1201/MG-ZS-EV

6.6kw Ac
76kw dc

Will be curious to see if ZS EV behaves similarly to other evs on Tesla HPWCes
Ie. only charge on HPWCes whose TPNs end in 00-x and 01-x

Some RAC stations still on CCS1 so will have to charge on type 2 AC

Best get a type 1 to 2 adaptor too so can use the type 1 chargers.

Re: MG ZS EV

Posted: Sat, 05 Sep 2020, 09:36
by KlinkPC
When the car finally arrives I will test it out on the Tesla chargers up at Alkimos and post results in the forum.

Re: MG ZS EV

Posted: Mon, 07 Sep 2020, 06:33
by adam lippiatt
And a review of the car too please. Always interesting to hear how people live with their EVs in Western Australia.

Re: MG ZS EV

Posted: Mon, 07 Sep 2020, 09:11
by KlinkPC
Aside from the price ($47,000 on the road) one of the main reasons I went for the MG is that it uses liquid cooling for thermal management of the battery in our hot summer climate.
The next step up would be a Kona for about $65,000 or a Tesla M3 for near $80,000.

Re: MG ZS EV

Posted: Thu, 01 Oct 2020, 20:18
by g4qber
https://youtu.be/ma2rD2ZS3T0
MG ZS EV - First NZ drive and efficiency test

November delivery to NZ

Re: MG ZS EV

Posted: Thu, 01 Oct 2020, 23:08
by KlinkPC
https://youtu.be/6YaDty3Nj3Q

A very recent interview with a chap who has had the car for a year.

Re: MG ZS EV

Posted: Fri, 02 Oct 2020, 23:05
by KlinkPC
MG planning Australia’s cheapest EVs

https://www.motoring.com.au/mg-planning ... vs-126585/

Re: MG ZS EV

Posted: Sat, 03 Oct 2020, 15:15
by rhills
Looks very interesting, but I just wish it was made in the UK or Europe, rather than China.

Re: MG ZS EV

Posted: Sat, 03 Oct 2020, 17:10
by HuffnPuff
rhills wrote: Sat, 03 Oct 2020, 15:15 Looks very interesting, but I just wish it was made in the UK or Europe, rather than China.
That’d be nice, but the problem isn’t being Chinese made, it is being built down to a price rather than priced up to a quality.

Re: MG ZS EV

Posted: Sat, 03 Oct 2020, 17:51
by Bryce
Don't buy a Tesla Model 3 or Y built next year onwards then... I believe the ones for here will soon be MIC. (Made In China ;-) )

Re: MG ZS EV

Posted: Sat, 03 Oct 2020, 17:54
by rhills
While I agree with your premise, my concern is with the bigger picture. I am concerned that Australia (as well as many other nations) is becoming more and more dependent on China to manufacture things we use and rely on. This increases our dependence on China. I don't have a problem with that per se, but I do have a concern about the apparent enthusiasm of China's leaders to use that dependence to push their ideology.

This concern has led me to become much more careful about researching the provenance of everything I buy, trying to favour Australian made wherever possible.

It's sad that our government passed up the opportunity to encourage local design and manufacture of EVs when they were faffing around with the subsidies to the international automakers a few years ago :cry:

Re: MG ZS EV

Posted: Sat, 03 Oct 2020, 19:01
by brunohill
rhills wrote: Sat, 03 Oct 2020, 17:54 While I agree with your premise, my concern is with the bigger picture. I am concerned that Australia (as well as many other nations) is becoming more and more dependent on China to manufacture things we use and rely on. This increases our dependence on China. I don't have a problem with that per se, but I do have a concern about the apparent enthusiasm of China's leaders to use that dependence to push their ideology.

This concern has led me to become much more careful about researching the provenance of everything I buy, trying to favour Australian made wherever possible.

It's sad that our government passed up the opportunity to encourage local design and manufacture of EVs when they were faffing around with the subsidies to the international automakers a few years ago :cry:
I sounds good in theory, but in reality most of the components and raw materials used in Australian manufacturing these days, comes from China. Even a lot of our food additives. Where I worked at one stage it was cheaper to buy Chinese food grade chemicals than industrial or technical grade Australian or European chemicals and we didn't even have to import it ourselves, as the food industry already was.

I was also cheaper to send a 40 ft shipping container from Melbourne to Shanghai than from Melbourne to Davenport.

Re: MG ZS EV

Posted: Sun, 04 Oct 2020, 00:08
by rhills
brunohill wrote: Sat, 03 Oct 2020, 19:01 I sounds good in theory, but in reality most of the components and raw materials used in Australian manufacturing these days, comes from China. Even a lot of our food additives. Where I worked at one stage it was cheaper to buy Chinese food grade chemicals than industrial or technical grade Australian or European chemicals and we didn't even have to import it ourselves, as the food industry already was.
Exactly! We keep going for "the cheapest" instead of thinking about long term costs hidden in "the cheapest". I agree most "bits" are made in China these days, but there was a time when we made many of those bits here. How can it be cheaper to buy chemicals from China than make them here, especially given that many of the raw materials are shipped from here to China, refined/processed and shipped back again. There may be economies of scale, but if we worked at it we could sell to the markets they do.

I suspect they accuse us of "dumping" things into their market because that's what they do themselves to elbow out competition.

So, even if we made EVs here out of Chinese "bits", at least Australians would be employed making the vehicles. It would be better than the "nothing" we have now.

[ Folds up soapbox and wanders off despondent! ]

Re: MG ZS EV

Posted: Sun, 04 Oct 2020, 09:29
by Bryce
I'd join you at the nearest pub to commiserate with you - but given I live in Melbourne, a certain other Chinese import is currently preventing that ;-)

Re: MG ZS EV

Posted: Sun, 04 Oct 2020, 10:58
by brunohill
rhills wrote: Sun, 04 Oct 2020, 00:08
brunohill wrote: Sat, 03 Oct 2020, 19:01 I sounds good in theory, but in reality most of the components and raw materials used in Australian manufacturing these days, comes from China. Even a lot of our food additives. Where I worked at one stage it was cheaper to buy Chinese food grade chemicals than industrial or technical grade Australian or European chemicals and we didn't even have to import it ourselves, as the food industry already was.
Exactly! We keep going for "the cheapest" instead of thinking about long term costs hidden in "the cheapest". I agree most "bits" are made in China these days, but there was a time when we made many of those bits here. How can it be cheaper to buy chemicals from China than make them here, especially given that many of the raw materials are shipped from here to China, refined/processed and shipped back again. There may be economies of scale, but if we worked at it we could sell to the markets they do.

I suspect they accuse us of "dumping" things into their market because that's what they do themselves to elbow out competition.

So, even if we made EVs here out of Chinese "bits", at least Australians would be employed making the vehicles. It would be better than the "nothing" we have now.

[ Folds up soapbox and wanders off despondent! ]
Yes, we might all feel the same and talk the talk, but how many of us have preordered an ACE electric vehicle?

Actually, I might be looking for a 2nd EV in about 18 months time. As it seams unlikely that I will be able to get a ZOE an Aussie ACE Urban my just be the go.

Re: MG ZS EV

Posted: Sun, 04 Oct 2020, 11:02
by whimpurinter
rhills wrote: Sun, 04 Oct 2020, 00:08
brunohill wrote: Sat, 03 Oct 2020, 19:01 I sounds good in theory, but in reality most of the components and raw materials used in Australian manufacturing these days, comes from China. Even a lot of our food additives. Where I worked at one stage it was cheaper to buy Chinese food grade chemicals than industrial or technical grade Australian or European chemicals and we didn't even have to import it ourselves, as the food industry already was.
Exactly! We keep going for "the cheapest" instead of thinking about long term costs hidden in "the cheapest". Neither side of politics is any smarter than the other. I emailed a politician about 10 years ago re milk prices and he said only a fool would spend more than they had to at the supermarket for something. I agree most "bits" are made in China these days, but there was a time when we made many of those bits here. How can it be cheaper to buy chemicals from China than make them here, especially given that many of the raw materials are shipped from here to China, refined/processed and shipped back again. Once again, price is set and not the result of something. It's part of marketing or politics. There may be economies of scale, but if we worked at it we could sell to the markets they do.

I suspect they accuse us of "dumping" things into their market because that's what they do themselves to elbow out competition. Yes, how can anything be sold for $4.99 when it had to be transported thousands of miles from somewhere overseas on ships powered by the most polluting engines on the planet, be manufactured overseas, have manufacturing costs added, have labour costs added, local transports, taxes, cost of inventory, local profit and unpaid polluting fees at the end.

So, even if we made EVs here out of Chinese "bits", at least Australians would be employed making the vehicles. It would be better than the "nothing" we have now. However, all future mainenance of such vehicles would depend on the parts originating from overseas. What if they had a 'use by' date manufactured into their software :) (oops, hope I haven't started something).

[ Folds up soapbox and wanders off despondent! ] Cheer up, think of the Federal Government instead :)

Re: MG ZS EV

Posted: Wed, 11 Nov 2020, 09:15
by mikedufty
New deal on the MG ZS EV got a mention on Oz Bargain today, $43,990 driveaway, which is cheap enough to make it quite attractive.
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/579953

And actual MG page
https://mgmotor.com.au/models/mg-zsev/

Re: MG ZS EV

Posted: Thu, 12 Nov 2020, 21:37
by reecho
KlinkPC wrote: Sat, 05 Sep 2020, 09:36 When the car finally arrives I will test it out on the Tesla chargers up at Alkimos and post results in the forum.
Those chargers have been removed apparently.

Re: MG ZS EV

Posted: Fri, 13 Nov 2020, 05:04
by Bryce
Interesting that the MG specs say 50kW max DC charging - but at the press conference for the launch they said 85kW.

Re: MG ZS EV

Posted: Fri, 13 Nov 2020, 05:05
by Bryce
BTW: the MG ZE EV Fact sheet is up on the AEVA website. (Have left the DC kW rate at the MG brochure spec for now though).
Cheers
Bryce

Re: MG ZS EV

Posted: Fri, 13 Nov 2020, 09:25
by KlinkPC
On some Youtube videos I have seen that if you charge the MG from say around 10% on a 100kW charger you might get 85kW for five minutes or so but then the rate drops to 50kW until 80%
When my car finally shows up I will take a drive down to Australind and test it out on the new ultra rapid charger.

Re: MG ZS EV

Posted: Fri, 13 Nov 2020, 12:26
by T1 Terry
The whole cheaper to be processed overseas would change and jobs would return on shore if carbon miles pricing was added to the freight costs.
The $44,000 drive away is starting to get towards a competitive, well, as long as the twit in South Australia doesn't get the opportunity to add the petrol excise onto rego costs for EV's. A bit cheeky, considering the fuel excise is a federal tax and rego is a state tax ....

T1 Terry