Battery Management software update

[Dave S]

Hello all,

I've already had the Comfort 2 upgrade, but I'm taking my car in for a Battery Management software update this week. Do you know what I can expect following the update?

 

[ARealHuman]

Charging whilst unlocked I think...

Have a look here.

 

[Tango130]

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www.mgevs.com

1st. Update your ZS software. I booked mine into Richmond MG Southampton 3/11/20, they really listened to me and understood what I was talking about. I told them I had a Rolec charger and that I had charging issues and that I read on the forum that there is a BMS updates that can fix it. They have a technician called Gareth who is their EV expert and they said bring it in and they would check if the software was up to date even though I only got the car on 21 Set 20 and it already had the Comfort2 update.

As they recommend Rolec Chargers I asked if they would do this free of charge and they said yes under warranty. They contacted MG technical who authorised EVCC & OBC updates applied to my car. I told them that I wanted to post what the updates where on this forum so they kindly supplied me with this...

EVCC - Electric Vehicle Charge Control
Improves compatibility with smart and timed charging systems that use PWM wake up strategy (e.g. ROLEC Smart EV). When the customer connects the charging gun to the vehicle, a timer is started within the module. This allows a charge to delay the start of charging session for upto 10 hours before the EVCC module will shut down completely. If a charge starts but then stopped within 10 minutes the timer restarts.

If the charge starts and continues for more than 10 minutes, the timer will simply run for 10 hours from when the charge gun was inserted.

The charge timer will not terminate a charge session, even if the charge is delayed until 9 hours and 59 seconds after the charging gun is connected.

OBC - Onboard Charger
Allows the vehicle to be charged on AC charging stations without the need for the vehicle to be locked. When an AC charger is connected to the vehicle the charge gun will be locked into the socket and charging will start. If the customer locks the vehicle charging will continue.

If whilst charging the customer unlocks the vehicle the charging will temporarily stop, and the charge gun will be unlocked. If the charge gun is not removed within 1 minute, the charge gun will be relocked and charging will resume.

 

[Tango130]

And the HVB Fuse update:

 

[Dave S]

I have also have asked them to check out the annoying frequency that I can't get a Rapid Charge, with the charging unit saying that I have an almost full charge (e.g. 97%), but I can see that I am actually very low in charge (e.g. 20%).

I've suggested in previous threads that (in my opinion with very limited technical knowledge to support this) that I suspect it's an issue between the car and the charging unit at the initial Identification handshake, and the problem may well not be MG's but actually the Charging Unit. I actually believe that it may be the charging unit actually holds on to the stats data for the previous vehicle at the completion of that charge , but for some reason that data doesn't clear and the unit applies it again, incorrectly, to my Identifying handshake data.

But in order to take it up with the Charging Unit Provider, it would be good to know MG's perspective on this.

 

[John Arnold]

I got the ZS EV a year ago. When fully charged either on rapid or granny charger, gauge read 150-160 miles. I now get 125 max. Also a 50 mile trip uses 70 miles of battery power. I did get the same mileage as shown on the battery range meter. Has anyone else had this type of performance loss?
All other aspects of the car are great just wished the battery range was as it used to be.

 

[Mark Holmes]

I got the ZS EV a year ago. When fully charged either on rapid or granny charger, gauge read 150-160 miles. I now get 125 max. Also a 50 mile trip uses 70 miles of battery power. I did get the same mileage as shown on the battery range meter. Has anyone else had this type of performance loss?
All other aspects of the car are great just wished the battery range was as it used to be.

Can your car charge at home on a 7 kWh charger with your doors unlocked?

 

[Cocijo]

I got the ZS EV a year ago. When fully charged either on rapid or granny charger, gauge read 150-160 miles. I now get 125 max. Also a 50 mile trip uses 70 miles of battery power. I did get the same mileage as shown on the battery range meter. Has anyone else had this type of performance loss?
All other aspects of the car are great just wished the battery range was as it used to be.

That’s a large reduction. Sounds like something’s not right.

 

[John Arnold]

Yes I can charge with doors open and unlocked. The update was done in August. Just wanted to get some feedback in case it was just due to the weather.

 

[Cocijo]

Yes I can charge with doors open and unlocked. The update was done in August. Just wanted to get some feedback in case it was just due to the weather.

it sounds like you’ve already been through a winter with your EV so know what to expect. I can lose 30-40% of range in winter on a very cold day. I’ve seen less than 2miles/kwh (heater, seats, lights, very cold) compared to over 4miles/kwh on a nice warm day in summer.

 

[John Arnold]

Thanks for your thoughts. Just wanted to see if I was the only person experiencing this situation. I will try to get it out of my mind.

 

[Mark Holmes]

Yes I can charge with doors open and unlocked. The update was done in August. Just wanted to get some feedback in case it was just due to the weather.

No it’s to do with the BMS version installed on your car, contact your dealer to arrange for the updated version to be installed which should hopefully be out this or next week.

 

[Mark Holmes]

it sounds like you’ve already been through a winter with your EV so know what to expect. I can lose 30-40% of range in winter on a very cold day. I’ve seen less than 2miles/kwh (heater, seats, lights, very cold) compared to over 4miles/kwh on a nice warm day in summer.

Can you charge your car with the doors unlocked too?

 

[Cocijo]

Can you charge your car with the doors unlocked too?

Yes

 

[Fishettibean]

If you had the BMS updated between October and last Monday, then BMS has a bug and causes range issues, in the region of 100miles. The best way to tell for sure which BMS, is fully charge the car, and the voltage should be around 455v. Also if your equalise charge takes around 5hours, you got the non-as-faulty BMS that doesn't cause range issues but takes an age to equalise.
120miles in winter sounds right, as batteries do not like cold weather. Also cabin heater takes a fair bit of power also. Batteries love to be at 20c.

 

[Mark Holmes]

Yes

Then you will also have reduced range and other potential BMS issues too, but a new release to correct the problem will be out soon.

 

[Srp111]

Fully charged my on the granny today hot 440v, I assume mine is faulty too then, shows maximum of 110 miles

 

[Mark Holmes]

Fully charged my on the granny today hot 440v, I assume mine is faulty too then, shows maximum of 110 miles

Looks like it, can you charge with your doors unlocked on a home charger??

 

[Srp111]

Looks like it, can you charge with your doors unlocked on a home charger??

Yes I can charge locked or unlocked, I only got the car I November so must have had the bad update

 

[Mark Holmes]

Yes I can charge locked or unlocked, I only got the car I November so must have had the bad update

Yes you did, good news is the fix will be out soon and so contact your local dealer to get it booked in.