First MG ZS EV long journey...

[abucksdiver]

Hi, all,
This weekend, we will be doing our first long journey in our ZS LR. It will also be our first CCS/DC charge. (Car was build in June 2022, and we picked it up in Sept...)
The plan is to leave High Wycombe (yes, always a good first step), drive down to Torbay, some driving around, and then back home a few days later.
Not sure yet on using M4/M5, or M3/A303/M5.
Has anyone used either of these routes, and have any recommendations on good charging locations or places/chargers to avoid?
Anything else we should know before setting out?
Many thanks

Also, I assume I can use any CCS, regardless of its nominal power, and the charger/car will negotiate the required charging rate?
ie. If I found one, I could use a 250kW charger, but it would only charge at the cars Max rate?

 

[Gadget Geek]

Hi there, and good luck with your first road trip. Did my first one before Christmas and had a bit of bother with non functioning Gridserve charger on M4 services at Reading.

My tip would be to try a CCS charge near home just to make sure the car doesn't get bricked.

If you go on the A303, Route 303 Diner is a good stop with 2 Instavolts, good grub and great views.

 

[CMJ22]

Hi, all,
This weekend, we will be doing our first long journey in our ZS LR. It will also be our first CCS/DC charge. (Car was build in June 2022, and we picked it up in Sept...)
The plan is to leave High Wycombe (yes, always a good first step), drive down to Torbay, some driving around, and then back home a few days later.
Not sure yet on using M4/M5, or M3/A303/M5.
Has anyone used either of these routes, and have any recommendations on good charging locations or places/chargers to avoid?
Anything else we should know before setting out?
Many thanks

Hi, if you haven’t already, download zap map app to plan your journey, see all the chargers available, and how much they are/ what speed they are to help. I used it for my first long journey and it made it so much easier! Good luck & enjoy!

 

[Ruislip Resident]

Hi, all,
This weekend, we will be doing our first long journey in our ZS LR. It will also be our first CCS/DC charge. (Car was build in June 2022, and we picked it up in Sept...)
The plan is to leave High Wycombe (yes, always a good first step), drive down to Torbay, some driving around, and then back home a few days later.
Not sure yet on using M4/M5, or M3/A303/M5.
Has anyone used either of these routes, and have any recommendations on good charging locations or places/chargers to avoid?
Anything else we should know before setting out?
Many thanks

On You Tube there is a set of videos by a guy called Evlain . On this he does a journey from Ipswich to Perranporth (Cornwall) and back. One video for vach way . He went there via m4 / m5 and back by the road that goes past Stone Henge (A303). The 3rd video details the costs of each charge he did. It will show a lot of charging points on your journey that he used to charge his ZSEV long range mk2 on his.

 

[N2STY]

@abucksdiver
Definitely try a CCS charger 1st luckily there's a nice one near me Lucas furniture instavolt
My parents live in melplash near Bridport from Aylesbury I do A41 A34 A303 quite a nice drive

 

[riizzle]

Hi there, and good luck with your first road trip. Did my first one before Christmas and had a bit of bother with non functioning Gridserve charger on M4 services at Reading.

My tip would be to try a CCS charge near home just to make sure the car doesn't get bricked.

If you go on the A303, Route 303 Diner is a good stop with 2 Instavolts, good grub and great views.

The chargers are still there but the restaurant is shut!

 

[N2STY]

The chargers are still there but the restaurant is shut!

Shame the owner retired I think something else end up there there are toilets available at petrol station next door
It will be a loungers briteside spring 23

Brightside Roadside | Proper Roadside Dining

Inspired by childhood road trips of days gone by, Brightside will offer a freshly cooked menu full of classic, comforting dishes.

brightside.co.uk

 

[Nosoupforyou]

The ones we have used on a run to Exeter from Bedfordshire - Three trees farm shop at Chiseldon just off j15 of M4 and on the return leg Lower Stanton just off J17 M4. Worth leaving the motorway to avoid service station queues. Also Waitrose in Exeter has rapids. Zap map very helpful.

 

[Guru]

If you find a high power charger it will indeed only charge at the highest rate the car can take. In our Trophy that seems to be 135kw which is pretty good! Avoid older 50kw chargers unless you have no choice as a lot of them don't actually give 50kw and the MG4 can take a lot more.

Having driven both routes many times the M4 tends to be more consistent in terms of traffic however I actually prefer the M3/A303 to drive but traffic can be a little more hit and miss. Also bear in mind that the M4 is all motorway speeds so not great for EV efficiency whereas the A303 is slower and therefore slightly better.

 

[Nibloprice]

If you've an LR you should be able to do it in one go surely? If you go m4, then jump down to the A303 via A33 that is the shortest route, 183 miles. But even going m4/m5 is 192 - winter range is about 220 isnt it?

As others have said, the A303 is better if you're worrying about mileage. Having done London to Cornwall in a Gen1 many times it's generally the most efficient - lower speeds and the chance to use regen. We use Wincanton for charging - 4 charging slots there, although they are more expensive than the Gridserve motorways services.

If you're getting range anxiety near your destination, Exeter services has loads of chargers, but beware that lots of people also know this so it tends to be busy. But use ZapMap and try and arrange a stop where there are a few options for charging within 10miles.

 

[TheArcher]

Also top up whenever you stop if you can = grazing. Or perhaps do this on your next trip to see if quick top-ups it make a difference.

 

[Roldorf]

Just got back from a 1,700 km trip from the North of Germany to the Austrian border, only had one problem charging. CCS charging on a charge point wasn't working but didn't tell me until I had plugged in and tried to load. Would not release the plug from the car. Had to use the manual release under the bonnet. Apart from that had no problems charging and no waiting for a charging spot,
All in all a very nice trip and my first trip over 200 km.

 

[Andrew Sinclair]

I drive Somerset to Surrey, always A303, on a monthly basis and as the winter temperatures have reduced the range I have started stopping at Solstice Services on the A303. There are a lot of chargers. My preferred is the Instavolt alongside the Costa. I stop for a coffee and charge for 30 mins

 

[abucksdiver]

On the outward journey (M4/M5), we stopped at Gordano (about half way) and topped back up to 80% on the only working 60kW CCS.
One issue I have is that I've paid for the Zap-map premium, but when I try to connect to the car, I get " when safe to do so, log into your Zap-map premium account to use it on your journey" (or similar ..)
Any idea how to make Zap-map on my phone talk to the car so I can use the live features?

Any idea how to make Zap-map on my phone talk to the car so I can use the live features

No worries, I worked it out, I had the £29/year subscription, but need the £50 one...

 

[PS70]

We did our first longish journey today: Reading to Weston-super-Mare and back. 202 miles plus a few miles in Weston meant we didn't quite have the range without stopping. Tried the 7kw Gridserve chargers at Leigh Delamere Services which didn't work, charger error, rapid charger was in use. But just down the road the Pitstop Chippenham chargers were brilliant.

 

[Timdevnewbie]

I drive Somerset to Surrey, always A303, on a monthly basis and as the winter temperatures have reduced the range I have started stopping at Solstice Services on the A303. There are a lot of chargers. My preferred is the Instavolt alongside the Costa. I stop for a coffee and charge for 30 mins

I do Eastbourne to North Devon via A303 a few times a year and Solstice Park has a good selection of Instavolt and others, and (according to Zapmap) a brand new bank of 4x350kw Gridserve chargers which should ease the queues for a while.

 

[abucksdiver]

Quick summery of our journey:
Left High Wycombe with 100%
M4/M5 to Gordano 45ish% to 80% on the only working 50kW Gridserve
Arrived Paignton with ~35%
Did some driving around, got down to 25%
Went to Lidl Podpoint, CCS taken by a jerk ID3 driver " I'm going to charge to 100%, don't care how many people are waiting"
Used 7kW ac to get back to 35%
When ID3 left, tried to get the Podpoint CCS to work, app said charge started, charger said use app to start charge. Podpoint tried two manual resets but still no joy...
Getting a bit range anxious...
Went to an expensive 50kW (75p/kW) on the Paignton sea front (Inn on the green) Charged to 90%
Did a little more driving around.
Drove A303 home on the remaining charge... Got home with low twenties%

Lessons learned
1. Have a backup charging plan
2. Charge closer to the end of a long journey if you are unsure of charging infrastructure, rather than at the half-day point.
Thanks for all the suggestions about suitable charging locations, I'll save them away for future reference.

QQ about Zap-map, does it have a "chargers near here" option? If it has, I've not found it yet!

 

[Lovemyev]

Not 100% sure, but I think the OEM Sat Nav has a EV charger locator facility on it ?.
I seem to remember seeing it once when “playing” about ?.
I would have thought that Zap Map has this feature, surely that’s the whole aim of it ?.

 

[Gadget Geek]

QQ about Zap-map, does it have a "chargers near here" option? If it has, I've not found it yet!

When you open Zap-Map and have an internet connection it will zero in on your present location. Make sure your phone allows Zap-Map to access your location.