Advice about buying a charging cable

[siteguru]

Even though my car only accepts 7kW charging, I still bought a 3-phase 32A (22kW) cable ... handy for future-proofing.

(I got mine for about £80 via the Tesla app - before they removed the option from the Tesla store in the app).

 

[Koomi]

I added a Type2 to my order and recent collection (MG Nottingham) as it only came with the standard 3 pin granny charger.
Lease/Company cars tend to have both cables supplied by the leasing company.

@Nobbyplopps What spec/colour have you gone for? I've seen a few driving around town now.

 

[Nobbyplopps]

I added a Type2 to my order and recent collection (MG Nottingham) as it only came with the standard 3 pin granny charger.
Lease/Company cars tend to have both cables supplied by the leasing company.

@Nobbyplopps What spec/colour have you gone for? I've seen a few driving around town now.

I’ve gone for the LR in black. So far with no delays, delivery is quoted as late September.

 

[Koomi]

I’ve gone for the LR in black. So far with no delays, delivery is quoted as late September.

Nice!
There is a Black one already in and around town, and have seen a White one a few times too.
We've just picked up our Blue Trophy.
Will have to start an MG 4 Owners Club if too many more people in Melton buy one.

 

[Nobbyplopps]

I have seen a black 23 plate phase 1 in town only once and a blue standard se passing through. Those are the only ones I have seen so far.
Yayyyyyyyyyyy a Melton MG4 owners club so we can look down on people and preach from our high horses ?
Is yours the phase 2? I’m sure mine will be hopefully.

 

[Koomi]

I have seen a black 23 plate phase 1 in town only once and a blue standard se passing through. Those are the only ones I have seen so far.
Yayyyyyyyyyyy a Melton MG4 owners club so we can look down on people and preach from our high horses ?
Is yours the phase 2? I’m sure mine will be hopefully.

Yep - Phase 2 - No black roof, 18" wheels, rear wiper, and a middle head-rest that blocks the view out of the window.
Something will really have to have gone wrong with the supply chain if you get a Phase one delivered in September.

 

[tomsk]

Having driven a Zoe for the last few years my experience is that most public AC Type 2 charging points are untethered. A lot of the Gridserve chargers have a tethered CCS plus a Type 2 socket - watch out for these though as although the unit will say that dual charging is available, if there's someone already on the CCS the Type 2 socket will not start up, but if you're plugged in and someone wants to use the CCS, they are able to start a dual charge - they are also able to quite easily accidentally stop your charge - it's a pretty flawed system.

It's a shame that the MG4s are limited to 7kW or 11kW on Type 2, as 22kW on a Type 2 charger is handy at times, and was the best we could manage with the Zoe.

My leased MG4 SE LR came with both the granny lead and an MG branded Type 2 32 amp single phase cable. My understanding is that privately bought MG4s are only supplied with the granny lead, and the Type 2 cable is listed as a (very expensive) optional accessory. The MG Type 2 cable is a waste of money at £240 given that it's only single phase, and no use to me out and about if it's limited to 3.5kW on a 22kW charging point.

 

[Rolfe]

Yeah, I got suckered into that one, and the cable supplied wasn't even an MG one, generic thing in an A N Other bag. I had wanted an MG bag!

 

[DBedford]

*Single phase!

 

[tomsk]

Interestingly, the image of the cable on the MG website appears to be a three-phase cable - with metallic connectors at L2 and L3, but the info doesn't say if it's single or three phase. The cable supplied in my MG branded zip bag doesn't look like this (has blue plugs) and has no metal connectors at L2 and L3. Gotta love that price tag though - bold!

 

[val33]

I collect my Trophy on Tuesday and having bought on the Affinity scheme, it is supplied with both cables. I specifically queried what the type 2 cable was and the salesman checked on the system as he was ordering it and assures me that it is a 32amp 3 phase cable. I will report back after collection!

 

[drivenkiwi]

I bought a 3 phase 32A type 2 cable for my Trophy. Seen some comments here that the early Trophy can charge at 11kW, but newer ones only 7KW. Anyone know how to tell if the car has the 7KW or 11KW onboard charger? Apart from finding a 22KW charger to plug into and test.

 

[ukslim]

I bought a 3 phase 32A type 2 cable for my Trophy. Seen some comments here that the early Trophy can charge at 11kW, but newer ones only 7KW. Anyone know how to tell if the car has the 7KW or 11KW onboard charger? Apart from finding a 22KW charger to plug into and test.

Dunno, but Tesco PodPoint clusters often have a 22kW you can try (my local has a 2x7, 2x22, 1x50).

Actually my very first "learn to charge" experience on my Trophy, was to go there and use the 22, because it seemed to be the Goldilocks option, not too slow, not too fast. And that's where I learned that with my cable at least, I'd only get 7kW from a 22kW charger. Still paying the 22kW rate!

 

[ukslim]

To the last question - I've never yet used my Type 2 cable. (My home charge point is Type 2 tethered).

I think it's still worth having one; it's more than likely you'll need one sooner or later. On holiday or something.

 

[Deleted member 10041]

I'm sure phase 2 MG4's are only 7kw AC max now

 

[Rolfe]

The village charger here is a multi-purpose unit with tethered CCS, CHAdeMO and type 2 connectors on the single charger, you have to choose which connector you want before you get going, and it disables the other two. I have noticed that the type 2 is rated at 45 Kw.

 

[siteguru]

I bought a 3 phase 32A type 2 cable for my Trophy. Seen some comments here that the early Trophy can charge at 11kW, but newer ones only 7KW. Anyone know how to tell if the car has the 7KW or 11KW onboard charger? Apart from finding a 22KW charger to plug into and test.

There's an easy way to check - look at the charge port. If you see metal pins in the L2 and L3 slots then it's most likely a 3-phase charger.

 

[Jeroen]

So what’s the opinion on the type 2 32 amp cable? Single phase or three phase?

In my humble opinion: If you have a Trophy or Luxury go for the three fase cable to be able to load @ 11 kWh otherwise a single phase will suffice as the SE model cannot charge @ 11 kWh.

Here in The Netherlands all MG4 EV’s come with a three phase type 2 cable. Really can’t do without one around here. Most non fast chargers here are type 2.

 

[tomsk]

Interestingly, the image of the cable on the MG website appears to be a three-phase cable - with metallic connectors at L2 and L3, but the info doesn't say if it's single or three phase. The cable supplied in my MG branded zip bag doesn't look like this (has blue plugs) and has no metal connectors at L2 and L3. Gotta love that price tag though - bold!

View attachment 19396

Just tried the Single phase cable on a 22kW Type 2 charging unit - it was giving 6.2kW with battery at 11%. The 3-phase cable from my Zoe gives 9.5kW, so it's about 1.5 times faster using the 3 phase 32 amp cable, on my Phase 1 MG4 SE LR. Glad I can get 6.2kW off a 22kW charger, better than the 3.5kW max I thought I might get.

 

[zAndy1]

I'm sure phase 2 MG4's are only 7kw AC max now

So am I right to say there's no point getting a 3 phase cable for the phase 2 MG4s, is single phase enough for 7kw?