Does the ZS EV come with a Type 2 cable as standard?

[YoungEV]

Looking at the MG specs on the official website doesn't mention it but some reviews online mention one included. Will check with the dealer tomorrow/Monday. Really would save money getting untethered, £265 instead of £365 with Rolec.

 

[Stuart Wright]

It absolutely should come with a type 2 charger so you can plug it in to the 7kw chargers you find in car parks around the country.
In fact I'd be amazed if it didn't. It almost certainly comes with a 3kw granny charger, too.
Both are essential.

 

[YoungEV]

Ooooh Stuart you are quick I was just about to post the findings!!

Cardiff MG showroom confirm that the car does NOT come with the Type 2 to Type 2 cable but the granny charger ONLY. They referred me to Amazon to purchase it.

 

[stumgev56]

Mg does not provide the type 2 cable as a free item you need to buy this and is far dearer from them if you do.
Better to buy from eco harmony and a pure ev company who also do wall chargers.

 

[YoungEV]

Mg does not provide the type 2 cable as a free item you need to buy this and is far dearer from them if you do.
Better to buy from eco harmony and a pure ev company who also do wall chargers.

Would you trust the unbranded cheap cables sold on eBay?

 

[stumgev56]

Would you trust the unbranded cheap cables sold on eBay?

No do not buy these, they are not worth taking the risk. A good cable looked after should give years of service, google these to find the best ones and prices.
Some on eBay could be made up and using thinner wire, eg fire risk.

 

[Stuart Wright]

Ooooh Stuart you are quick I was just about to post the findings!!

Cardiff MG showroom confirm that the car does NOT come with the Type 2 to Type 2 cable but the granny charger ONLY. They referred me to Amazon to purchase it.

Wow, that’s cheap of MG. having said that, in over two years of ownership, I’ve used my type two cable maybe half a dozen times. When I have used it, it’s been essential, though.
Here is an example where I needed it on a long journey @ 7:15 in.

 

[stumgev56]

Wow, that’s cheap of MG. having said that, in over two years of ownership, I’ve used my type two cable maybe half a dozen times. When I have used it, it’s been essential, though.
Here is an example where I needed it on a long journey

I know Mg do not supply a type 2 cable but the big discount there giving is fab, if your buying the car from them, you need to haggle, some dealers are giving them free (Fraser in scotland and few more are)
but i use one when parking at multi storey for 4 hours or more as its free charging along with the parking ticket. In fact a home charger your need one to unless getting a full fixed one.

 

[Stuart Wright]

In fact a home charger your need one to unless getting a full fixed one.

Personally I highly recommend that you get a tethered home charger so you can just grab that and plug in when you want to charge it. Getting your type 2 cable out every time would end up being be a real PITA.

 

[YoungEV]

Personally I highly recommend that you get a tethered home charger so you can just grab that and plug in when you want to charge it. Getting your type 2 cable out every time would end up being be a real PITA.

Definitely need to be an option to lock the wallbox end of the charger to the charger in upcoming releases. I like the usability of being able to use a separate lead for the car when it’s park in the garage AND road trips.

 

[Stuart Wright]

Definitely need to be an option to lock the wallbox end of the charger to the charger in upcoming releases. I like the usability of being able to use a separate lead for the car when it’s park in the garage AND road trips.

Look at this video at 38 seconds in

Look how easy it is to unplug the charger and put it back on the holster. Using your own cable, you would have to wind it up and put it back in its bag in the back of your car. That's a pain. And then you have to get it out of the bag again when you want to charge.
Unless you travel with the charge cable out of its bag all the time, which is kind of messy. And you still have to get the cable out of the car each time.
Having a tethered cable is way easier. Trust me on that.

 

[stumgev56]

Look at this video at 38 seconds in

Look how easy it is to unplug the charger and put it back on the holster. Using your own cable, you would have to wind it up and put it back in its bag in the back of your car. That's a pain. And then you have to get it out of the bag again when you want to charge.
Unless you travel with the charge cable out of its bag all the time, which is kind of messy. And you still have to get the cable out of the car each time.
Having a tethered cable is way easier. Trust me on that.

Tethered charger cables are fine when there supplied with the wall charger, but if companies in the future ever change the ev connections on the car your need to pay out for a complete new setup.

 

[Stuart Wright]

Tethered charger cables are fine when there supplied with the wall charger, but if companies in the future ever change the ev connections on the car your need to pay out for a complete new setup.

That's extremely unlikely as Type 2 is becoming the standard.

Type 2 connector - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Type 2 is intended to replace the previous vehicle connectors used for AC charging within the European electric vehicle network, displacing both SAE J1772 and EV Plug Alliance Types 3A and 3C. For DC charging, the Combo 2 socket (Type 2 supplemented with 2 DC pins) shall become standard in cars, replacing Type 4 CHAdeMO. The transition period is scheduled to last until 2020.

But even if that happened, it would be a case of changing the cable from the charging unit. Not a huge deal.

 

[YoungEV]

Look at this video at 38 seconds in

Look how easy it is to unplug the charger and put it back on the holster. Using your own cable, you would have to wind it up and put it back in its bag in the back of your car. That's a pain. And then you have to get it out of the bag again when you want to charge.
Unless you travel with the charge cable out of its bag all the time, which is kind of messy. And you still have to get the cable out of the car each time.
Having a tethered cable is way easier. Trust me on that.

I would be leaving my cable in the socket (whether it locks or not) as I’m in a secure garage and I have contents insurance that would cover it. If not for those 2 things I would definitely have a tethered! I will be looking into options for securing the cable to the wall or unit (cheaper than buying a tethered and spare cable) so that I don’t have a compulsory week off work if the cable were to vanish!

side note:: just had a quote back for a Rolec charger £860 installation ? ... Is that how much they cost??!

 

[MikeR]

yes (excluding grant) but not sure smart Rolecs are available yet. I recommend a Zappi

 

[MikeR]

Also, my car did not come with a type 2 cable - only 13A, 3 pin and CCS. The MG branded type 2 was £180 from the dealer but will get minimal use as I have a Zappi tethered charger at home.

 

[Pedro2]

Even if you don't need it often, it could be handy to have a 5m type 2 m-f handy when the only free charger is Iced and you are desperate, a granny cable is not much use in that situation.

I have a tethered Rolec attached to the side of the garage, the rolec has a latching dummy receptacle for plugging in the tail plug when not in use.

Two nights ago I backed in to the space beside the garage, and went to plug in, but could not get the tail out of the receptacle, hmm bad, I am immediately thinking of ways to remove the receptacle. I decided to first try WD40, sure enough that worked.

I then went to plug the cable in to the van, and found another problem, the cable no longer reached the charging socket, that's when I noticed I was parked on the cable! I could not get it out of the receptacle cos the cable was being tensioned by my clumsy parking. Moral....

On the subject of low cost Ebay cables, why should it be of lower quality than the MG supplied cable, both probably came from the same Shanghai factory.

Pete

 

[MikeR]

Iced socket a bit worrying bearing in mind the happy relationship between water and electricity! Agree a cable in the boot a wise investment. Ref cheap Chinese kit, I find that, whilst the unbranded ones might come from the same factory, they are usually the ones that fail quality control.

 

[Katana]

But even if that happened, it would be a case of changing the cable from the charging unit. Not a huge deal.

Not a huge deal, but costs money. £150 to have the cable swapped out vs £300 for a new smart charger. We're going for the latter.

 

[22ssingh]

Although the ZS EV doesn't come with a type 2 cable (only comes with the 3 pin slow charger as others have mentioned) as I was one of the 1st 1000 to order, MG are paying for a full 7kw charger (tethered or untethered my choice) it will be fitted by rolec in the 1st week of January, so if anyone was in the first 1000 you should call MG, I have had better luck speaking with MG directly rather than the dealership