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Charging issue with PodPoint 50kW

andi51081

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MG ZS EV
So I visited a Lidl the other day that has a paid PodPoint rapid charger. I followed the instructions correctly but it popped up saying there was an issue communicating with the vehicle. PodPoint support blamed it on the issue some MG owners had previously encountered with their cars being bricked by rapid chargers. Not sure this is the case but just thought I would see if anyone else has encountered this or if it is probably an issue with their machine.
 
Cannot recall another forum member having problems with Podpoint rapid chargers. Have you had the rapid charger software update?
 
Did you have your scheduled charging off it's one of the mistakes that catch people out?
 
Cannot recall another forum member having problems with Podpoint rapid chargers. Have you had the rapid charger software update?
Dealer assured me all was up to date. I have only used an Osprey charger so far for rapid charging and that was fine each time
 
I had my LR updated yesterday. Local dealer was originally unaware that the software update existed until I specifically asked for it. However, as far as I am aware, if the dealer plugs the car into their software diagnostics tool, update options should be made available if required. My LR was built in Oct 2021.
 
So I decided to email MG direct about the issue I faced and this is the response I just got

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WTH!!?? Is that meant to be customer service? Am I just supposed to accept that answer?
 
I would send mg's reply to one of the auto magazines for them to follow up! Their responsible is laughable if they weren't being serious. Are they suggesting their cars are not fit for purpose!
 
I would send mg's reply to one of the auto magazines for them to follow up! Their responsible is laughable if they weren't being serious. Are they suggesting their cars are not fit for purpose!
I know right? That is the shittiest answer I could have possibly got from the manufacturer. @Miles Roberts CG is this true?
 
I find it really strange that MG Gen2 had covered 12,000 in a camouflaged ZS EV face lift before its official launch 🚀.
Trying different makes / types of charging units, travelling up and down the U.K. and checking there compatible with the car !!.
Now it appears that “MANY” of these units are not compatible ?.
That responce is just not good enough sorry.
Can you imagine IF all the cars HAD arrived at the correct time they should have and where then left stranded with either a flat HV battery or even Bricked” at rapid chargers dotted around the U.K.
The AA would be rushed off their feet 👣 trying to deal with the huge demand for their services.
 
I know right? That is the sh*ttiest answer I could have possibly got from the manufacturer. @Miles Roberts CG is this true?
No, it's not true. I think someone needs some training. I'll forward that back to MG and ask them to read the email again.
 
I got a second reply from MG customer service:

Dear Mr Bain



Thank you for contacting MG Motor UK Ltd, and I am truly sorry for the blunt email that you have received and I can see how this may have prompted your anger and frustration. The truth is, it really is not as blunt as this and our EV cars are no different to those from any manufacturer in this regard.



Pod point for example, are one of our partners and we recommend them when supplying 7kWh wall home chargers to customers who are purchasing new EV vehicles, and I am confident that there is no compatibility concerns with these products.



AC chargers will supply power up to 22 kWh, however the vehicle will only accept a maximum of 7kWh when using any AC charger.



MG ZS EV will accept up to 75kWh using a DC/DC rapid charger.



There is no definitive list as to what may or may not be compatible, as this will vary from charger to charger and for various other reasons, and it is the car that will determine the rate of charge that it receives. However in simple terms, should the car feel threatened by the source providing it, then it may warn you or shut down the system if it feels that continuing the charge could potentially damage it. This could be a faulty charge point, poor connection to the charge point or indeed a compatibility problem from the supplier to the car.



The point is, if the car will accept a charge from any DC charger, then the fault is unlikely to be with the car, as if the car is faulty, it won’t accept a charge at all and would need to be addressed with the supplier. MG Motor UK Ltd. would not alter the software in the car to make it match to a specific suppliers unit that is causing you problems. I trust that this will make sense and if they were concerned then the supplier should contact MG Motor UK Ltd. to advise us of a potential problem.

This has definitely put my mind at ease
 
Has your dealer confirmed if they've done any software upgrades since your breakdown? Hasn't put my mind at ease as it appears that this could still happen to any of us, despite the recently released software 'fix'. Yes, the car should shut down if it thinks it's in trouble, but the car shouldn't be left 'bricked' and not driveable. If Podpoint is a partner then why haven't mg spoken to them to try and establish whether this is a car or rapid charger problem and establish whether their software fix actually works. Simply resetting the car is not resolving the issue. How many more people are going to be left stranded?
 
Has your dealer confirmed if they've done any software upgrades since your breakdown? Hasn't put my mind at ease as it appears that this could still happen to any of us, despite the recently released software 'fix'. Yes, the car should shut down if it thinks it's in trouble, but the car shouldn't be left 'bricked' and not driveable. If Podpoint is a partner then why haven't mg spoken to them to try and establish whether this is a car or rapid charger problem and establish whether their software fix actually works. Simply resetting the car is not resolving the issue. How many more people are going to be left stranded?
I didn’t break down, it just wouldn’t charge. What I get from the response is that there could be other factors rather than compatibility.
 
Glad you weren't left stranded unlike some other unfortunate members of this community. It appears that MG and Podpoint are aware of rapid charge issues, but failing to resolve them despite their so called 'partnership'.
 
I got a second reply from MG customer service:



This has definitely put my mind at ease
Why do I get the idea that this responce has been as a direct result of Mile’s intervention ?.
It is a more of an appropriate answer, that you should have received in the first place, but I am not sure 🤔 that I agree with some of the points raised in it to be honest.
Quote “our EV cars are no different to those from any manufacturer in this regard”.
Well, I don’t see a lot of other EV’s getting bricked when charging via a CCS charger - do you ?.
Quote “Pod point for example, are one of our partners and we recommend them when supplying 7kWh wall home chargers to customers who are purchasing new EV vehicles, and I am confident that there is no compatibility concerns with these products”.
This has absolutely NO relevance at all to this issue ????. These are A/C units supplying 7Kw’s how is that relevant to the “Bricking Issue” on CCS units ????.
Quote “There is no definitive list as to what may or may not be compatible, as this will vary from charger to charger and for various other reasons,”.
What are these “Various other reasons” ?.
Quote “This could be a faulty charge point, poor connection to the charge point or indeed a compatibility problem from the supplier to the car”
Arahhhh ……. The supplier of the car ( MG ) who these people represent and get paid by.
Quote “if the car will accept a charge from any DC charger, then the fault is unlikely to be with the car, as if the car is faulty, it won’t accept a charge at all and would need to be addressed with the supplier. MG Motor UK Ltd. would not alter the software in the car to make it match to a specific suppliers unit that is causing you problems. I trust that this will make sense and if they were concerned then the supplier should contact MG Motor UK Ltd. to advise us of a potential problem”.
So, as long as it will accept a charge from any single CCS unit, then that is deemed that the car is fine and regardless if the charging protocol software is not compatible with another unit ?.
This then becomes like game of Russian Roulette.
You have no idea if your car is likely to brick until you have plugged it in ?.
Of course, there will be times when the hand shake with the car will fail on certain units.
But I think somebody is missing the whole point here.
If the car did NOT like the charger it was being plugged into, then it should just reject the handshake and prevent a charge from taking place.
Inconvenience - Yes !.
But not “Brick” the car and leave it completely stranded and requiring recovery vehicle to the nearest dealer !.
This going to get very frustrating and expensive long term.
I see no mention in this e.mail that suggests that there is a service bulletin available to hopefully rectify this ongoing issue.
Clearly no research done prior to the writing of this message and offers little in providing any positive way forward.
It likely tells you what you already know, as is a purely a back stroking exercise after the shocking first attempt to answer your questions and genuine concerns.
These rude and poorly constructed messages only happen via E.mail conversations.
I can imagine what my responce would be to somebody who addressed me in this manner, when being face to face !.
 
Has your dealer confirmed if they've done any software upgrades since your breakdown? Hasn't put my mind at ease as it appears that this could still happen to any of us, despite the recently released software 'fix'. Yes, the car should shut down if it thinks it's in trouble, but the car shouldn't be left 'bricked' and not driveable. If Podpoint is a partner then why haven't mg spoken to them to try and establish whether this is a car or rapid charger problem and establish whether their software fix actually works. Simply resetting the car is not resolving the issue. How many more people are going to be left stranded?
I could NOT agree with you more !.
 
The more considered reply from MG still does not allay fears completely. The cars do not accept a charge from all working chargers. Should there be a procedure in the software to reset the car when it feels threatened by a charger for whatever reason?
The thought of a flatbed trip home is not conducive to stress free motoring - been there.

By the way I love my Gen1 ZS EV but at the moment limit myself to journeys within range of home charging.
 
By the way I love my Gen1 ZS EV but at the moment limit myself to journeys within range of home charging.
I agree.
Never been a big user of rapid units anyway, but the car should have the facility to use one successfully, without needing help and a ride home from our friends from the A.A.
Big fan of charging from home myself !.
The LR model helps massively to be honest.
Using a rapid is the last resort really.
I would have to be absolutely desperate to try using one.
Scared to death of it bricking the car !.
I really don’t understand why the face lift model is suffering so badly in this regard ??.
The Gen1 would just fail the hand shake and then move on, not completely brick the car !.
That is the whole problem here.
EV drivers always have a second and sometimes a third back up plan, if the charger is not working, or it does not like the car.
No amount of forward planing can be put in place, that will reverse the bricking process.
Not unless you just happen to be carrying a MG diag computer loaded with the necessary dealer work shop software !.
 
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