MG4 in Australia

[Archev]

The business model for fast chargers isn't great, so (apart from Tesla) the designs cuts corners meaning issues with operating in harsh environments, stuck at the arse end of a car park without cover/protection/security, inadequate power supply and low numbers of charge stations per location, while maintenance capacity is minimal and hence is often delayed.

There are also significant vandalism issues in some towns.


+1

I have met people with this concern, they want enough to get not to the next charge stop but the next one or two beyond that. Hard to blame them (us).


Which just increases the appeal of the Tesla network, even though it is very expensive. At least there is a much greater chance of finding a working and vacant charge station with capacity.

I understand the number of charge stations overall is expected to double this year. Whether that results in better availability/reliability, who knows? We can hope.


Yeah, unless charging at least a decent proportion of energy from home off-peak and/or solar PV it's not much of a saving.

My old MkV Golf TDI costs an EV equivalent of 56.6c/kWh to power. So as long as the overall trip charge cost is less than that then I'm ahead, at least on the energy component (the rest isn't so simple).

I worked out that in my Essence 64, on a road trip I can count on ~ 500km of it being from home charging (leave with a full charge, come home partly empty). Perhaps more depending on how much I risk the final leg.

My average home charge cost is 17.2 c/kWh (weighted average cost based on the mix of solar PV and grid charging I got during Q4 2023).

So if the rest of the journey was using DC fast chargers only, then it's still cheaper for a total trip distance of:

• up to 1,170km using Tesla Superchargers @ 85c/kWh
• up to 2,200 km using the other networks @ 68c/kWh

1,000km is a big day, so once you are into that territory and further there is a fair chance of being able to use destination chargers while sleeping. Whether that works out cheaper or not is hard to say, but a bit of planning would help.

Sounds like familiar territory.

 

[wattmatters]

This is where it would be worth paying the $10 membership fee for any months you have some big trips planned.

Yes that would make sense. Usually easy to turn these subscriptions on, what about turning them off?

As you say, saving 15c/kWh means I'd need to use >66.7 kWh / month to be ahead. That's about two charge sessions. But even then it's still effectively 80c/kWh unless I need to use a LOT more.

Problem is the location of the available charge stations. Heading south to Sydney the Port Macquarie Supercharger station is too far from Sydney, so I'm still needing another charge network to be working somewhere else.

I also note that the distance between available Tesla charge stations between Brisbane and Sydney is too far for the MG4 64, so you are still reliant on other charge networks.

 

[wattmatters]

Something I have just become aware of is that export to the grid is limited to 5kW for a single phase connection to protect the network so an ECD (export control device) has to be fitted to prevent this so unless I use the power it all dissipates as heat.

That's actually pretty good for Essential Energy. A 3 kW export limit is more typical nowadays and 5 kW for 3-phase.

I'm limited to 9kW export on a 3-phase supply. If I was installing today it would be 5 kW.

With a 6.6 kW and a 2 kW system you won't lose much to the export limit. On good production days just have a load going during the middle of the day. The EV is perfect.

When clipping the power above the limit is just not generated, so there is no power to dissipate as heat. The natural thermal equilibrium of the PV array will just be a little higher.

 

[clayton4115]

what do you all think of the rip off $900 service cost every 2 years, an ICE car service fee is alot less than that and my current Ioniq 28 service is $160 per year.

 

[wattmatters]

what do you all think of the rip off $900 service cost every 2 years, an ICE car service fee is alot less than that and my current Ioniq 28 service is $160 per year.

The $900 service is every four years.

 

[clayton4115]

The $900 service is every four years.

oh yes that is alot better!!!

 

[Corindikev]

Also ICE cars require servicing every 10,000 or 15,000 km on average. The first MG service is in 2 years or 40,000km. By then you would have had 4 services of your ICE vehicle & that would be 2 to 3 times the cost of the first MG service.

 

[Corindikev]

I had the rear undertray bracket installed by Geoff King MG today. It took all of 10 minutes.

I thought the bracket was steel looking at the original MG Bulletin but it is in fact plastic. It is not perfect but is heaps better than it was. Before and after shots below.

 

[ozzz]

I don’t understand why Australian and UK service intervals are so different. Also someone said if you don’t get the 12-month inspection you will lose your road side assist. Very strange.
We need supermarkets to get in the charging business. Charge and shop, how good would it be if you only had to look for Woolworths/Coles in every town.

 

[LPBaker]

I had the rear undertray bracket installed by Geoff King MG today. It took all of 10 minutes.

I thought the bracket was steel looking at the original MG Bulletin but it is in fact plastic. It is not perfect but is heaps better than it was. Before and after shots below.

Can I ask where you find these bulletins? I'm picking up my Excite 51 today and I want to be able to show it to them if it has the undertray issue. Thanks

 

[Corindikev]

It was posted in this thread. Someone found out about it and it seems even the MG dealers didn't know about it. Mine didn't.

 

[siteguru]

The bulletin is AS-TEC-02112023-01, which involves a supporting bracket and longer bolts.

The end result you can see in Kev's photo above.

 

[LPBaker]

The bulletin is AS-TEC-02112023-01, which involves a supporting bracket and longer bolts.

Thank you! Where do they publish these bulletins?

 

[siteguru]

No idea - I just learned about it from this forum.

 

[Corindikev]

It was originally published by someone on the MG EV Australia Facebook group. The bulletin is published by MG so someone must have inside access to these. The local dealer here in Coffs did not know about it but when I provided the number they checked and the fix was arranged. At least one other person said the same thing with their dealer.

The issue is not universal as some cars have the problem and some don't so it is not a recall.

When I initially noticed the distortion and that was due to information from this forum, I emailed MG Australia including the photo and advised I would be making a warranty claim. I got no response from MG. I presume they are waiting for the claim which once I had details of the bulletin, I never made.

 

[Tuareg]

The bulletin code starte with 'AS', so maybe only applicable/issued to Australia? Coild be why dealers in other countries don't see it on their systems.

 

[siteguru]

FWIW some previous updates I've had on my (UK) car had bulletins starting with AS ... and that was before the MG4 was even on sale "down under".

e.g. the locking in recall was AS-22-RC008.

 

[Tuareg]

ok, it was just a thought.

 

[kiwi]

This would also work on the current MG ZS EV range, all Aust/NZ models support 11kW 3 phase charging.

 

[Coulomb]

all Aust/NZ models support 11kW 3 phase charging.

Not the Mark 1s. Mine is definitely single phase, no metal in the L2 or L3 pins.