Company Car

[adamb]

Just ordered my next company car

MG4 Trophy ER in Volcano Orange. Was between this and the XPower.

Daily commute is 150 mile round trip mainly 70mph. I get free charging at work and all-star sites.

Hoping the increased range will meet my high milage driving.

Work insisted on full EV (green initiative) otherwise a Phev would of been ideal.

 

[Rolfe]

Welcome Adam! I think the car will suit you admirably, possibly more so than a hybrid as you shouldn't have to go near a filling station (or a DC charger) at all unless you do a very long trip.

Will this be your first EV?

 

[adamb]

Thank you

Yes it's my first, wanted a vehicle where I didn't get range anxiety and could still enjoy day trips on my days off.

Having a company fuel card which covers All-star charging means quick DC chargers will be my go to when away from work. No point in using my home electric as work won't pay the cost to that.

 

[adamb]

Just read the MG4 has no UK rating for roof boxes. Although they are available to buy in the UK?

 

[Rolfe]

Thank you

Yes it's my first, wanted a vehicle where I didn't get range anxiety and could still enjoy day trips on my days off.

Having a company fuel card which covers All-star charging means quick DC chargers will be my go to when away from work. No point in using my home electric as work won't pay the cost to that.

TBH, range anxiety is mostly a talking point of the anti-EV lobby these days. Yes, back when early Leafs and Zoes were about, with really low range, people did worry. But now ranges are much better, and you tend to have to do something silly to get into that sort of corner. It's no different from finding yourself running on fumes in a petrol car. Don't do it if you don't want stress! With 150 miles daily drive (that's a lot!) you should be laughing in the ER.

There's another thing. Modern cars, including the MG4, seem to be better engineered with all the indicated range down to <5% available at normal power, and additional restricted-speed travel available for probably 15 miles after the car seems to be at zero. People aren't reporting sudden range drops from 20 miles to 5 miles, or the car going into "turtle mode" with ten miles still on the clock these days. AA call-outs for empty traction batteries are quite rare. (Call-outs for flat 12V batteries are a different matter, and it's a good idea to carry a battery booster pack to save the hassle of a call-out.)

I suppose the knowledge that you're getting it free will certainly compensate for the times you have to wait 15-20 minutes for the car to charge, rather than plugging in overnight!

 

[Coulomb]

back when early Leafs and Zoes were about,

They are still about, and I try to help where I can to help keep them on the road.

They still keep carbon in the ground, and are still a delight to drive, compared to most ICE cars, IMHO.

I'll admit that they are very few compared to the latest onslaught of EVs, even here in backwards Australia (as far as EV adoption and charging infrastructure goes). Tyranny of distance and all that.

 

[Grriff]

@adamb My guide may be of use, although you should find that the Infotainment software is a later version. The guide is based on R40 while you should get R46 or later, assuming the ER gets the same software as the LR.

MG4 Trophy - a Guide

This is a Guide to an MG4 Trophy (2023 version with R40 infotainment software) which is intended to help drivers quickly understand the features available. I am attaching the pdf version of the Guide to this post. A Word version is also available from a Microsoft OneDrive together with an...

www.mgevs.com

 

[Rolfe]

They are still about, and I try to help where I can to help keep them on the road.

They still keep carbon in the ground, and are still a delight to drive, compared to most ICE cars, IMHO.

I'll admit that they are very few compared to the latest onslaught of EVs, even here in backwards Australia (as far as EV adoption and charging infrastructure goes). Tyranny of distance and all that.

The thing is though, the people who are still running early Leafs and Zoës don't have range anxiety now because the cars do what they want them to do. They use them for short trips and that's fine. Usually they're second cars. (Neighbours of mine have a Zoë with about 60 miles range and it works fine for them as a second car.)

People who suffered range anxiety in these cars have changed them for something more capable. Really, nobody should be suffering range anxiety on a regular basis these days.

 

[JonnyG]

Just ordered my next company car

MG4 Trophy ER in Volcano Orange. Was between this and the XPower.

Daily commute is 150 mile round trip mainly 70mph. I get free charging at work and all-star sites.

Hoping the increased range will meet my high milage driving.

Work insisted on full EV (green initiative) otherwise a Phev would of been ideal.

Good luck with your new car arrival ... I hope it arrives quickly and welcome to the the Forum ?

I think you've made a good choice with that sort of daily mileage?. Just charge to 80% each day at work for free (battery health 80% mode) and you're laughing all the way to the bank??. Maybe go to 100% on a Friday to give some extra range over the weekend !

 

[Rolfe]

Frankly, if he's driving 75 miles shortly after charging, the battery is never going to be sitting at 100% and he might as well charge to 100% every time. It sounds as if its longest inactive time is going to be overnight, when it won't be anywhere near full.

So long as he remembers not to leave it over 80% for a long-ish stretch, he should be absolutely fine.

 

[adamb]

Thanks for all the comments. What a wonderful forum.

My daily usage will be working nights, twelve hour shifts on a 4 on 4 off shift pattern. Therefore on my 4 off, I will be needing to top the car up. Also to travel back to my place of work on my first night back.

 

[Rolfe]

Since you are such a high mileage user I don't think you need to worry at all about the injunction only to charge to 80% in the NMC battery. What is really meant by that it, "don't let the car sit idle at over 80% charge for long periods of time." With many people's daily mileage being well short of the range of their car, it can make perfect sense simply to regard 80% as "full" for day to day purposes, and reserve the top 20% for days when long journeys are planned (and for the monthly balance charge at 100%, which should ideally be timed for a day before a drive which will lower the charge below 80% is scheduled).

But when you're using a significant percentage of your battery every day that doesn't really come into it. All you really need to remember is to limit your charge to 80% before a period when the car is not going to be used.

This video is both informative and reassuring about all this.

 

[Terry556]

Just ordered my next company car

MG4 Trophy ER in Volcano Orange. Was between this and the XPower.

Daily commute is 150 mile round trip mainly 70mph. I get free charging at work and all-star sites.

Hoping the increased range will meet my high milage driving.

Work insisted on full EV (green initiative) otherwise a Phev would have been ideal.

I have an MG as a company car, I have had the car for 2 weeks now, not impressed with it at all, I have a long range unless you do 50 mph on the motorway then you get more miles, the charging is more expensive than petrol, 87p per KW I was paying 46 p in the Tesla

 

[pecker]

I have an MG as a company car, I have had the car for 2 weeks now, not impressed with it at all, I have a long range unless you do 50 mph on the motorway then you get more miles, the charging is more expensive than petrol, 87p per KW I was paying 46 p in the Tesla

Can’t you charge your car at home on a dual rate tariff, will make it loads cheaper than a petrol vehicle.

 

[adamb]

I have an MG as a company car, I have had the car for 2 weeks now, not impressed with it at all, I have a long range unless you do 50 mph on the motorway then you get more miles, the charging is more expensive than petrol, 87p per KW I was paying 46 p in the Tesla

I've gone for the extended range, charging cost is irrelevant to me as my company pay for it regardless of where I charge. Understand it's not cost effective but it fits their green initiative policy.

 

[JonnyG]

I have an MG as a company car, I have had the car for 2 weeks now, not impressed with it at all, I have a long range unless you do 50 mph on the motorway then you get more miles, the charging is more expensive than petrol, 87p per KW I was paying 46 p in the Tesla

Sorry to hear that but what if you had free charging and the Extended Range like the OP ?

Or do you not like the car itself ?

 

[Tig170]

I have an MG as a company car, I have had the car for 2 weeks now, not impressed with it at all, I have a long range unless you do 50 mph on the motorway then you get more miles, the charging is more expensive than petrol, 87p per KW I was paying 46 p in the Tesla

Quite a few Teslasuperchargers are open to any EV these days, and with £10 / month subscription, it matches tesla owners prices.

 

[adamb]

Update:

My company has now offered me a

Mercedes 2024 EQA AMG Line Executive.

Although it's a lot more expensive, it's not built to be electric and is essentially a converted GLA.

I'm unsure if I should change to the EQA.

 

[siteguru]

BIK on EVs is 2% (or it was the last time I looked) ... list price (P11D) differences at 2% BIK aren't really that relevant to be honest.

 

[adamb]

BIK on EVs is 2% (or it was the last time I looked). List price (P11D) differences at 2% BIK aren't really that relevant to be honest.

I've already done the math; it works out to £10 a month more in tax for a £52k car.

Although it seems more finished, it just didn't seem very exciting. It's slow in comparison, and the boys might not appreciate the raised floor in the back.

Although it's rare that all 5 of us are in the car, except for family days out.

One bonus is that due to it being based on a road car, the roof load is rated to 75kg.