MG4

[wattmatters]

^^^^^54 kw @ 80% is very acceptable. Super fast charging doesn’t suit us because we need enough time for the comfort&coffee break. Lots of 50s instead of a couple of 350s seems a more practical solution for the majority.

Yeah they both seemed to charge at a decent rate. This was just me trying out a couple of different DC chargers as I'd never done it before. I'm going for a trip later today to visit my brother who is a 220 km drive south. Been looking at the charger map and getting a sense of where it makes sense to stop for some juice, will need it somewhere along the trip down or most likely on the way back.

Certainly will be an interesting gauge on economy rate. Looking at the EV database:
https://ev-database.org/car/1708/MG-MG4-Electric-64-kWh

It suggests my model has 330 km highway (110 km/h) range in mild conditions.

[wattmatters]

Drove the 223 km to my brother's yesterday but stopped a bit short of his place at the Taree service centre to put some juice in the car. That part of the journey was mostly 110 km/h cruise control. The car reported a consumption of 16 kWh/100km. It was VERY windy, and I suspect on the whole I got tailwind assistance. But the car was being unsettled by the winds.



At the start it was pulling ~ 140 kW but that had dropped back to under 60 kW in the latter stages. I stopped charging at ~80%.



It needed two charge sessions because the whole service centre had a power failure, when I got back to the car I found it was not charging. Decided to start it again.
That was an Evie charge station with the most unintuitive screen instructions. Needed to call the tech support line to get it working. The guy before me was having trouble too.

[navydiver]

My new MG4 is only 20km or so from me now.


Message me if you want the MG ZS EV with 50k km and still with years of warranty on it

Make:
M G
Model:
ZS EV
Year of manufacture:
2020
Body type:
WAGON
Colour:
BLK
VIN:
LSJW74094MZ026984
Serial number:
8683936


https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/ho ... 72/zoom:10

[coulomb]

Oh, does the MG4 still come with V2L like they promised? I hear that the MG ZS EV quietly dropped that feature...

It certainly is working; thanks @Wattmatters for the video.

[Samstain]

Oh, does the MG4 still come with V2L like they promised? I hear that the MG ZS EV quietly dropped that feature, though if you complain loudly enough, they'll apparently rip out a module from your new car and replace it for free. That seems like a crazy way to do business to me, but what do I know about business and sales?

Frist I have heard of that - hasn't come up on the Facebook ZS EV page. You might be thinking of the Mk1 which didn't come with it? I got an early Mk2 and it works fine, they are still advertising it as a feature on all 3 levels of ZS available at the moment.

[wattmatters]

Oh, does the MG4 still come with V2L like they promised? I hear that the MG ZS EV quietly dropped that feature...

It certainly is working; thanks @Wattmatters for the video.

Thanks for posting. I see someone else comment they also see 216 V from a different V2L cable so it looks like this is the norm for the car's inverter. Be nice if voltage were higher, but it will still work for most things.

I've been considering the scenario for how this might aid us during long (multi-day) outages if the off-grid PV can't quite keep up. I do have a generator for such scenarios but this is an alternative.

While I can use it to supply power directly to off grid inverter (instead of the generator) and set it to Utility First mode to power the two homes and recharge the battery, with an effective load limit of circa ~2.2 kW when in Utility First mode, it's perhaps cutting things a little fine - no problem provided no one tries to use something too power hungry but with two dwellings and with people not familiar with the concept of electrical power, energy etc, I'm not sure. It's complicated. Old habits die hard.

But what might work better is to use a plug-in 48 V LiFePO4 battery charger - which could put about 1 kW into the battery from the V2L - that would not stress the V2L system and provide a decent amount of energy into the battery over the course of a day, while the off-grid inverter would operate from the battery as normal and be unrestricted in supplying "surge" loads, e.g. electric kettles + regular background loads etc.

Anyone use such plug in chargers / suggestions?

This sort of thing but I'm not familiar with what's good/bad:
https://toplibattery.com.au/products/ac ... o4-battery

[wattmatters]

I finally got my ZJ Beny OCPP charger working today. It's been a battle - turned out I had been given a bum code from Charge HQ. With that sorted it worked as it should, varying power delivery to the car based on available excess solar from our grid-tied Fronius PV system.

I am seeking to charge from Solar Only as much as is feasible.

[DougGlover]

Deposit on a base model in Blue put down yesterday. Delivery expected around Christmas (we want a Blue one!). Wife is researching every video and post on the Interweb....

Wondering when dash mat and neoprene seat covers available.....

[DougGlover]

Picked up our Blue MG4 base on Tuesday 28th - so far really impressed! So easy to drive and great performance and handling. Single pedal mode will take some getting used to though - sticking with normal Sport and high regen for Adelaide Hills driving.....finding it difficult to pull from my wife's hands (it is her car, I guess!)

[Nagaman]

Picked up our Blue MG4 base on Tuesday 28th - so far really impressed! So easy to drive and great performance and handling. Single pedal mode will take some getting used to though - sticking with normal Sport and high regen for Adelaide Hills driving.....finding it difficult to pull from my wife's hands (it is her car, I guess!)

Way to go!
Wish the longer range ones were LFP also. I don’t trust ternary.

[navydiver]

My Mg4 Essence 64 landed a week ago. It is in Blue as well as chosen by the kids.

3000km later noted several items good and bad.

No on/off button like the XS. It turns off when you lock it. Turns on when you depress the brake. My spare key in a bag in the boot stopped me locking the car!
The app lock does not work unless the car is first turned off! A bit silly I thought! There is another way to turn it off.

The Lane Keeping assist is 99% fine and 1% pure evil!!!!
1- On a small stretch of road with old lines to nowhere it tried to change course into oncoming traffic. I drove that bit of road several times and it did it every time

2- turn off Lane Keeping assist in MG pilot area. The Lane Keeping assist bing/chime stops. The auto steer is still active!!! Turning it off does not turn it off!

Charging is much faster than the XS and If in a 150 or better charger 20 minutes or less to 80% is fantastic. Noted it balancing the battery cells once. That slowed the 150kW charge rate a LOT.

Adaptive cruise control is great! A little tricky to change from or to 100/80/60. It starts with 1km/h changes then to 5km/h. Watching the road was required and the change sometimes when well over or under the target change.

Range at 100kph or 110kph is never going to get close to the Range of up to 435km (WLTP)‡. I did get 400km! The Electronics are a little glitchy.

It's a real pain that changes made like turning off Lane Keeping assist or turning on One Pedal Driving must be done every time the car starts! Very nice to drive.

A lady in A Merc EQC said her Mercedes did not do the 650 km range and also the lane keeping issue is not just MG!

Link chats about Battery Balancing. Once a month to 100% is required! First Service done in Ballarat not at the MG dealer I brought from. That was helpful.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOPBMu_FItw

[wattmatters]

My Mg4 Essence 64 landed a week ago. It is in Blue as well as chosen by the kids.

3000km later noted several items good and bad.

I concur with your experience. I have the Essence 64. Close to 4,000km.

Performance is very good.

Highway driving range is ~ 350km but you'd never really push that far as the public highway charger network is so goddam awful you need a big buffer just in case you can't charge at the next stop. Have already experienced this multiple times.

LKA mostly behaves, is occasionally annoying, but when it doesn't it's time to change underwear. I've been dragged towards oncoming trucks more than once and attempts to take me off the road are not uncommon.

The infotainment system is buggy. I get black screens fairly regularly when using CarPlay, assuming CarPlay activates at all. It's frustrating as heck.

With ACC - a firm tap down or up (so that the thumb controller goes all the way up or down) will change the ACC speed setting in 5 km/h increments. So, e.g., when going from 110 to 100 km/h, it's just two firm taps down, that's it. I find attempting to change by finer increments difficult/impossible using the button controller.

I do find ACC tends to make unsubtle speed changes - it's not particularly smooth. e.g. it will quickly ramp speed down rather than smoothly ease the speed down. Sometimes these speed changes happen for no reason. It also drops speed a lot on curves in the road, which is mildly annoying, especially for anyone following you.

It does not like winds, it's far too easily moved about the lane.

Steering is imprecise/lacks feel. Hard to convey this one.

Sound system is barely adequate.

My seat creaks badly.

[navydiver]

Did a run Melbourne to Ballarat return run yesterday. I had 25% battery remaining. 260ish km traveled at 110km/h for a fair bit of it. Melb - Ballarat return yesterday was about 280km. I had 25% left in the tank when I got back "Range of up to 435km (WLTP)‡" is possible at low speeds! AC was on.

Clearly not as advertised or my interpretation of "Range of up to 435km". The "‡" means come in spinner.

It was after a 100% charge which included a 30-minute battery balancing just before I left. That was interesting to watch. Clearly when showing 100% SOC all the cells were not! It was about 4kW charge for a while then flicking between 0 and 0.04 kW charge rate.

I am assuming it 'may be' the balancing might need to be done a few times rather than just once per month!

4000km on the clock now. I had thought/hoped 400ish range would be the highway speed range. It is over 300 but not stretching to 400 at 110 or highway speeds for me.

Two years till 'E' day in my thoughts. 'E' day for me will be:
Sub 10 minute charge possible
Tow capacity to 3.5 tonnes
'Real' range of 800 or so.
Reliable
Repairable
The same very LOW Maintenace requirements of my current EV

[wattmatters]

Did a run Melbourne to Ballarat return run yesterday. I had 25% battery remaining. 260ish km traveled at 110km/h for a fair bit of it.

Which model?

[Nagaman]

Did a run Melbourne to Ballarat return run yesterday. I had 25% battery remaining. 260ish km traveled at 110km/h for a fair bit of it.

Which model?

64 essence

[Nagaman]

Nr 2 son has ordered an Essence on business lease. Had a test drive yesterday and wondered about the throttle feeling somewhat strangely non linear. I’m an old left foot braker and I may have absentmindedly ‘interfered’ and confused myself.
Is it me or is it programmed that way…….backing off seemed odd compared to the tesla.

[navydiver]

Did a run Melbourne to Ballarat return run yesterday. I had 25% battery remaining. 260ish km traveled at 110km/h for a fair bit of it.

Which model?

64 essence

Mine is the 64 essence. Doing another full- balancing charge now via home solar freebie. Another 500+ km over the next few days to see how it goes again.

Interesting listening to the reason behind Tesla recall of 2 million cars. The False emergency stop issue is one of them apparently. Stopping for NO valid reason has occurred just once for my car once. At low speed near a Ballarat charge place. I think a bright speed bump was the mistaken issue for the MG.

A Lane Keeping grrr this morning. A car was parked on the left. Moved over to avoid hitting it of course. The car was trying to steer me back into the parked car! As said its only one% of stuff ups. Ones like that could kill people IF they were not quick enough!

[Nagaman]

Stopping for NO valid reason has occurred just once for my car once. At low speed near a A Lane Keeping grrr this morning. A car was parked on the left. Moved over to avoid hitting it of course. The car was trying to steer me back into the parked car! As said it’s only one% of stuff ups. Ones like that could kill people IF they were not quick enough!

My Tesla brakes for minor crossroads on our nominal ‘freeways’ - imagined lower speed limits or for any other excuse.
Down in the city it’s no problem and I suspect it’s because it’s happily in the geospace it prefers.
I don’t expect things to be better from the Chinese - but I don’t expect a Tesla to get worse by speeding up uncommanded.

[navydiver]

Many of the Auto Lane keeping and pedestrian/car emergency braking errors are not just in our MGs! A few extra notes with 5000km completed.

It is about twice the range of my first MG (mg zs ev) Both are missing the range, and both have had occasional big misses on range which are not entirely explainable. My MG4 is missing range guide by at least 10% when at 100kph for hours long runs. This a lot better than the 25%+ the 2020 ZSEV missed by.

On country roads turning off LKA and staying aware of its tendency to still try and steer into oncoming traffic is a bit of extra work I would happily live with out. On Dirt roads this is even worse if LKA is not OFF.
I do find a bit of low back pain from the seat after a few hours. A bit of lumbar support is missing I feel. It may just be me of course.

The car is otherwise very good. With so many more charging options around Victoria now it is only mildly delaying recharging to 80% +

Hope you all had a great Christmas.

[wattmatters]

Charging Stats to date (3 months Oct-Dec 2023)

Essence 64
Mid-north NSW rural/regional location

4,223 km


Home charging*: 424.0 kWh / $ 73.44
DC Fast charge: 249.6 kWh / $156.12
Plug-in charge^: 50.0 kWh / $ 13.20
--------------------------------------
TOTAL charging: 723.6 kWh / $242.76

Averages:
17.1 kWh / 100 km
$ 5.75 / 100 km

Most driving is on 100-110 km/h roads/highways, some local town driving.

DC fast charging ($10.70 / 100 km) is more expensive than driving my old diesel Golf ($9.80 / 100 km). DC fast charging makes up 35% of our EV energy consumption.

Home charging ($2.96 / 100 km) is considerably cheaper as long as I use solar PV for most of it. Peak tariff periods are avoided, more expensive than DC fast charging.


* Home charging split: 330 kWh solar PV, 94 kWh grid import.
^ Estimate of use of slow plug-in charger both home and away.

[hawleybeach]

I understand that it’s quite the drivers car. An LFP requirement means base model RWD……lovely.
Can’t wait to hear impressions.

I certainly drives very well, certainly no lack of performance. It's quite a nice ride and handles very well. RWD as you say really helps, it's quite enjoyable. I am surrounded by country roads so no lack of fun options if I ever feel like a little blast.

Mine is not LFP, that chemistry is only available in the base model 51 kWh unit. Still quite the performer I believe (it's a bit lighter).

There are some quirks (all cars have them) and a lot to learn. I have it on the granny charger at home sucking down some sunshine.

Your Graphic is showing 1.71kW going to your granny charger, but there is probably only about 1.48kW charging your battery.

The point we need to realise, is that about 200W of power is being used by the inbuilt Car Charger / Battery Management System. The end result of this is that "Granny Charging" isn't very efficient. A lot of people seem unaware that although they may add 12kWh over an 8 hour charging period, they may have used 14 - 15kWh of mains power to do this. Running an EV can be very cheap, especially if you are charging during Off-Peak, but it may actually be costing you more than you think

This by itself doesn't justify the installation of a Wall Charger, but we should be aware of the actual power usage

[wattmatters]

Your Graphic is showing 1.71kW going to your granny charger, but there is probably only about 1.48kW charging your battery.

I have seen 1.6 kW when using the granny charger. The losses vary depending on what the car is doing. It might be charging the 12 V battery, or if you are in the car the aircon is probably on. But when those things are done then the charge getting into the drive battery does improve.



I've since installed a wall charge station anyway and charging rate is automated based on available excess solar PV, and soon, it will also be based on my retail energy plan with some free consumption periods.

[T1 Terry]

My Mg4 Essence 64 landed a week ago. It is in Blue as well as chosen by the kids.

3000km later noted several items good and bad.

I concur with your experience. I have the Essence 64. Close to 4,000km.

Performance is very good.

LKA mostly behaves, is occasionally annoying, but when it doesn't it's time to change underwear. I've been dragged towards oncoming trucks more than once and attempts to take me off the road are not uncommon.

Seems it can be more than an underwear change for the inexperienced. Haven't been able to get the dash to light up properly, other than "evacuate the vehicle" so don't know just how many kms, but the hash pattern is still clearly visible on the front discs, yet it was an ex demo, and from the books in the glovebox, it had 12 km on the clock on 18/9/23 when it was pre delivered and had front parking sensors fitted on 23/11/23 before delivery by the dealer .....

Bought this MG4 from an Adelaide salvage auction for $3,250 plus fees, a bit over $4,300 by the time it was delivered to the workshop yard in Mannum.

The self steer can cause the odd accident .2.jpg (113.16 KiB) Viewed 11825 times

The self steer can cause the odd accident 2.jpg (105.79 KiB) Viewed 11825 times

The self steer can cause the odd accident 4 .2.jpg (119.9 KiB) Viewed 11825 times

It appears it went on to the wrong side of the road and hit a white pole, enough to leave a core sample of the pole in the crossmember, fold the r/h lower control arm at 45* where the lower ball joint mounts and separated the ball joint into two pieces

T1 Terry

[T1 Terry]

Finally got the screen to work, 268km on the clock ...... no wonder everything looks new, it is ....

T1 Terry

[wattmatters]

Seems it can be more than an underwear change for the inexperienced.

Yikes. Confirmed the car itself was to blame?

Anyway, good luck with it - I admire those with the skills, knowledge and gumption to do this sort of salvage and repurposing.