MG5 LR - how to charge faster than 50KW

theshillito

theshillito

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The MG5 long range is capable of charging off DC at up to 100KW according to everything I read before and after purchasing one. However, whenever I've used public chargers that claim to be able to do anywhere from 100KW to 350KW, I have never been able to get above 50KW (usually between 40 and 50). Yesterday I drove from Kent to Cheshire and I used a 150kw charger when the battery was at about 30% and it didn't go above 43kw from what I could tell. Meanwhile the Audi next to me was getting roughly 120kw at around 50% battery.

In short:
  • battery level under 40%
  • charger 150kw
  • outside temperature fairly warm
  • never getting above (or even reaching) 50kw

So I have to wonder what I'm doing wrong, or if the MG5 is just bad at reporting maximum charge speed. I might try some tests at different chargers at different charge levels and temperatures to see if I can calculate what I need for optimum rapid charging, but if anyone has suggestions, I'm all ears.
 
theshillito said:
The MG5 long range is capable of charging off DC at up to 100KW according to everything I read before and after purchasing one. However, whenever I've used public chargers that claim to be able to do anywhere from 100KW to 350KW, I have never been able to get above 50KW (usually between 40 and 50). Yesterday I drove from Kent to Cheshire and I used a 150kw charger when the battery was at about 30% and it didn't go above 43kw from what I could tell. Meanwhile the Audi next to me was getting roughly 120kw at around 50% battery.

In short:
  • battery level under 40%
  • charger 150kw
  • outside temperature fairly warm
  • never getting above (or even reaching) 50kw

So I have to wonder what I'm doing wrong, or if the MG5 is just bad at reporting maximum charge speed. I might try some tests at different chargers at different charge levels and temperatures to see if I can calculate what I need for optimum rapid charging, but if anyone has suggestions, I'm all ears.
Click to expand...
From what I understand, the values quoted on charges tend to be what an 800V car would get, so on a 150kW unit, a 400V car should still get around 120kW rate (if capable) - more than the theoretical capability of the MG5LR.

I've seen in excess of 85kWh after 100+ miles on a warm day - also seen 20kWh on a cold night. So, try switching your battery heater on when approaching the charger (it will use energy obviously). Also, not sure what network you were using, some are limited by capacity to the entire site irrespective of what the charger says. Some people have found IONITY to produce fast speeds, I've seen MFG work very well.

It might just have been an issue with the unit you tried. Worth trying some others to check,
 
I've just accomplished my first rapid charge💪
MG5 SR started at 39% - charged until it just touched 89%, no one around to hold up - before i get set upon.
It started at 38KW and off i went to the shops, came back and it was at 67% and showing 39KW.

As it was on a Lidl, not a stand alone store - part of a shopping complex, i thought it cheeky not to pop in and pick up a set of allow wheel sockets - £9.99 for 17/19 and 21mm, can't buy them solo sized.

Came back at 81% still at 39KW, i thought i would see how long it stayed at this rate.
All the way up to 88%, as it turned 89% it dropped to 27KW, that was time to disconnect and be on my merry way.

25.43Kwh added in 41mins, that's an average of 43KW per min i do believe.
Outside temp was 12C and i had driven 10 miles just prior, 13 miles an hour and a half before - if it kept any residual heat.

I must admit using the pod point app was easy peasy as always.

In short i did wonder if i would see a higher rate of charge but maybe it was too cold for this.
 
theshillito said:
The MG5 long range is capable of charging off DC at up to 100KW according to everything I read before and after purchasing one. However, whenever I've used public chargers that claim to be able to do anywhere from 100KW to 350KW, I have never been able to get above 50KW (usually between 40 and 50). Yesterday I drove from Kent to Cheshire and I used a 150kw charger when the battery was at about 30% and it didn't go above 43kw from what I could tell. Meanwhile the Audi next to me was getting roughly 120kw at around 50% battery.

In short:
  • battery level under 40%
  • charger 150kw
  • outside temperature fairly warm
  • never getting above (or even reaching) 50kw

So I have to wonder what I'm doing wrong, or if the MG5 is just bad at reporting maximum charge speed. I might try some tests at different chargers at different charge levels and temperatures to see if I can calculate what I need for optimum rapid charging, but if anyone has suggestions, I'm all ears.
Click to expand...
If you take it down to between 10 and 20 percent you should get a much faster charging speed.

For example, on a recent run to Paris I took my SR 5 down to just below 20% and it was charging at 70-80kw until just after 80%. A long range should get closer to 100kw.
 
m4rmite said:
I've just accomplished my first rapid charge💪
MG5 SR started at 39% - charged until it just touched 89%, no one around to hold up - before i get set upon.
It started at 38KW and off i went to the shops, came back and it was at 67% and showing 39KW.

As it was on a Lidl, not a stand alone store - part of a shopping complex, i thought it cheeky not to pop in and pick up a set of allow wheel sockets - £9.99 for 17/19 and 21mm, can't buy them solo sized.

Came back at 81% still at 39KW, i thought i would see how long it stayed at this rate.
All the way up to 88%, as it turned 89% it dropped to 27KW, that was time to disconnect and be on my merry way.

25.43Kwh added in 41mins, that's an average of 43KW per min i do believe.
Outside temp was 12C and i had driven 10 miles just prior, 13 miles an hour and a half before - if it kept any residual heat.

I must admit using the pod point app was easy peasy as always.

In short i did wonder if i would see a higher rate of charge but maybe it was too cold for this.
Click to expand...
Not sure about your numbers - 25.43kW in 41 minutes is 37.2kWh average. Which seems fair as the rate should drop as you go from 80 to 90%. I’m assuming this was a 50kWh unit, so peaking at 39kWh is alright - I usually get low to mid 40kWh on an LR model
 
m4rmite said:
I've just accomplished my first rapid charge💪
MG5 SR started at 39% - charged until it just touched 89%, no one around to hold up - before i get set upon.
It started at 38KW and off i went to the shops, came back and it was at 67% and showing 39KW.

As it was on a Lidl, not a stand alone store - part of a shopping complex, i thought it cheeky not to pop in and pick up a set of allow wheel sockets - £9.99 for 17/19 and 21mm, can't buy them solo sized.

Came back at 81% still at 39KW, i thought i would see how long it stayed at this rate.
All the way up to 88%, as it turned 89% it dropped to 27KW, that was time to disconnect and be on my merry way.

25.43Kwh added in 41mins, that's an average of 43KW per min i do believe.
Outside temp was 12C and i had driven 10 miles just prior, 13 miles an hour and a half before - if it kept any residual heat.

I must admit using the pod point app was easy peasy as always.

In short i did wonder if i would see a higher rate of charge but maybe it was too cold for this.
Click to expand...
I used the new CCS Podpoint in Oban Tesco’s last night. Perfect charge to 80% with no trouble.
I returned tonight at 37% to top up to 80% again but could not coax the machine to give me anything tonight. I tried many times but absolutely nothing.
So I went round to the CPS charger at the Ferry Terminal. Absolutely nothing doing there either.
I ended up at the CPS unit in Tweedale car park where I finally filled up to 85% ready for our trip over to Mull tomorrow.
 
biffo said:
Not sure about your numbers - 25.43kW in 41 minutes is 37.2kWh average. Which seems fair as the rate should drop as you go from 80 to 90%. I’m assuming this was a 50kWh unit, so peaking at 39kWh is alright - I usually get low to mid 40kWh on an LR model
Click to expand...
Sorry on the average kw as i used an online calculator.
Yeah it was a50kw charger.
 
I believe you would need a 150kw charger to achieve the 80+kw. There was a thread here a while ago I cannot find that explained it's something to do with the voltage of the pack or the number of cells, that prevents it pulling the full amount.
 
Ozzie1989 said:
I believe you would need a 150kw charger to achieve the 80+kw. There was a thread here a while ago I cannot find that explained it's something to do with the voltage of the pack or the number of cells, that prevents it pulling the full amount.
Click to expand...
It’s something related to the maximum current (I think!) so the power displayed is what an 800V car can achieve. The rest of us with 400V cars get about 2/3 or 3/4 of this. Not sure this applies to 50kW units? Maybe?

Essentially, you should get around 80kWh on a 120kwh but I’ve also seen forums mention of 120kWh on a 150kWh unit - sounds confused 🤷‍♂️

I’m sure there is a more in-depth & technical explanation, but this is pre-coffee o’clock!
 
I'm getting more useful information from a bluetooth OBDBLE dongle & an app on my phone, it's a shame the dash can't tell me the same information but that's the problem of cost cutting.

Using the dongle and app I can at least see what's going into the battery, it's not ideal and if you accidentally leave the dongle in when the cars locked the alarm will go off frequently (don't leave the dongle in when your not in / near your car!).

I'm hopeful overtime there will be more useful telemetry available via the app.
 

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w1bble said:
I'm getting more useful information from a bluetooth OBDBLE dongle & an app on my phone, it's a shame the dash can't tell me the same information but that's the problem of cost cutting.

Using the dongle and app I can at least see what's going into the battery, it's not ideal and if you accidentally leave the dongle in when the cars locked the alarm will go off frequently (don't leave the dongle in when your not in / near your car!).

I'm hopeful overtime there will be more useful telemetry available via the app.
Click to expand...
I bought an OBD extension cable with a switch so I can leave it plugged in for use with ABRP and turn off (when I remember) after stopping.
 
biffo said:
I bought an OBD extension cable with a switch so I can leave it plugged in for use with ABRP and turn off (when I remember) after stopping.
Click to expand...
I bought a really cheap one 1st (£6), phone could see it but it didn't do much and support anything, 2nd choice - iCAR PRO SCAN Bluetooth 4.0 ELM 327 OBD2 Car Diagnostic Scanner For Android iOs | eBay works ok with some of the apps.
I don't want to leave it connected (even if switched) and the alarm going off is the normal reminder for me when I've not remembered to pull it out :)
 
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w1bble said:
I bought a really cheap one 1st (£6), phone could see it but it didn't do much and support anything, 2nd choice - iCAR PRO SCAN Bluetooth 4.0 ELM 327 OBD2 Car Diagnostic Scanner For Android iOs | eBay works ok with some of the apps.
I don't want to leave it connected (even if switched) and the alarm going off is the normal reminder for me when I've not remembered to pull it out :)
Click to expand...
I settled on this one after trying the Vgate ICar Pro (both work with my MG5LR using Car Scanner on iOS)

Amazon product ASIN B08BPC179W
And this extension cable - I leave this plugged in just now, but I was logging a lot of data for ABRP to map the OBD SOC to the dashboard SOC

Amazon product ASIN B00VUVJSS8
 
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w1bble said:
I'm getting more useful information from a bluetooth OBDBLE dongle & an app on my phone, it's a shame the dash can't tell me the same information but that's the problem of cost cutting.

Using the dongle and app I can at least see what's going into the battery, it's not ideal and if you accidentally leave the dongle in when the cars locked the alarm will go off frequently (don't leave the dongle in when your not in / near your car!).

I'm hopeful overtime there will be more useful telemetry available via the app.
Click to expand...
You can see what's going into the battery when charging on the dash, 3 clicks down from the speedo.
(Press start button twice without using footbrake first)
 
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rogerco said:
So what apps have you found work? (Android)
Click to expand...
The main one I've seen people mention for Android is Torque - think this was used for ABRP integration before it became native. Pretty sure Car Scanner is available for Android too. And found this list - but honestly not tried any of them but might give some alternative ideas

www.fixdapp.com

Top 10 Best OBD2 Apps for 2022 for iPhone and Android

Looking for the best OBD2 apps for iPhone and Android? Here are the 10 best OBD2 apps for reading, diagnosing, and clearing the check engine light on your car.
www.fixdapp.com
 
w1bble said:
I'm getting more useful information from a bluetooth OBDBLE dongle & an app on my phone, it's a shame the dash can't tell me the same information but that's the problem of cost cutting.

Using the dongle and app I can at least see what's going into the battery, it's not ideal and if you accidentally leave the dongle in when the cars locked the alarm will go off frequently (don't leave the dongle in when your not in / near your car!).

I'm hopeful overtime there will be more useful telemetry available via the app.
Click to expand...
Which dongle and app are you using? Also do you have the SR or LR 5?
 
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