General FL 5 (and other models?) range.

[Pebble]

In the near future due too work, I'll have to start using the public charging network. Up to now, home charging has served me well and the ability to go to 100% with no time constraints. Now here's where my "range" question gets interesting, bear with me please.

The FL 5 has a theoretical range of 250 miles at its best from a 58kwh battery. I'll assume for my journeys, 4 miles/kw. So I leave home @ 100%, stop @ 10%, so approx. 208 miles.

Now I have to top up at a public charger, regardless of charging speed. From what I've read, getting to 80% can happen pretty quickly but 80-100% can take a while to preserve the HV battery. So say we settle for getting to 80% and set off again. Range would then be 80% but allowing for that 10% buffer again, only 70% available. At this figure, the "range" becomes 162 miles (58kwh x 70% = 40.6, then x 4 miles/kw = 162 miles)

So all this talk of 200+ miles only seems to apply if I can get to 100% charge but with time constraints at public chargers and people's attitude to waiting for that extra 20%, it seems the realistic range of a FL 5 is just c.160 miles when away from home. And this is based on what could be an optimistic 4 miles/kw.

If someone wants to check my maths, has any thoughts or feels I've missed the point, please enlighten me.

Heh ho, welcome to MG 5 ownership

 

[Gadget Geek]

If you watch Bjorn Nyland do his 1,000km challenges, he skips from charger to charger using the fastest part of the charging curve. You will find driving down to 20%, charging up to 80% and moving on is the most efficient way to travel long distances.

 

[Amun]

So all this talk of 200+ miles only seems to apply if I can get to 100% charge.....

Yes, but the same concept is true of all EV's if one sticks to the 20-80% guidance for battery health. I take the calculation for 100% and then multiply by 0.6 for my realistic day to day range. The car is set to only charge to 80%. Obviously if I need all the range then I'll go higher, but on a day to day basis this works for us as we only do fairly low mileage.

 

[Jomarkh]

Sounds about right. So when you compare the SR and LR using 20-80% there is much difference.

 

[Pebble]

Thanks for the replies so far, much appreciated

Most of my round trip journeys will be c.260 miles, so I accept that I'll have to stop once on the way back, no problem. Every two weeks, there'll be a 340 mile journey, 170 miles each way, same route both ways. I guess then it'll be two stops until I can get back to my Ohme and 100%.

I take on board the 20-80% idea but then I'd be down to c.139 miles between stops. As all the journeys will be repetitive, experience, trial & error and time should get me the best results

 

[Gadget Geek]

Thanks for the replies so far, much appreciated

Most of my round trip journeys will be c.260 miles, so I accept that I'll have to stop once on the way back, no problem. Every two weeks, there'll be a 340 mile journey, 170 miles each way, same route both ways. I guess then it'll be two stops until I can get back to my Ohme and 100%.

I take on board the 20-80% idea but then I'd be down to c.139 miles between stops. As all the journeys will be repetitive, experience, trial & error and time should get me the best results

If you do the same long journey time after time, you learn where the best stops are and you have your favourite chargers.

Just remember to have a plan B and C until the infrastructure catches up with the sales.

 

[Amun]

I take on board the 20-80% idea but then I'd be down to c.139 miles between stops.

Well, yes - but 139 miles at constant motorway speed limits is about two hours driving, so perhaps time for a break anyway.

As you say, though, we all just have to find what works best for us in any particular situation.

 

[Gomev]

Thanks for the replies so far, much appreciated

Most of my round trip journeys will be c.260 miles, so I accept that I'll have to stop once on the way back, no problem. Every two weeks, there'll be a 340 mile journey, 170 miles each way, same route both ways. I guess then it'll be two stops until I can get back to my Ohme and 100%.

I take on board the 20-80% idea but then I'd be down to c.139 miles between stops. As all the journeys will be repetitive, experience, trial & error and time should get me the best results

Don't forget you are heading back to your Ohme, so you can go as low as you want. One stop should still do it.

 

[5teep]

In the near future due too work, I'll have to start using the public charging network. Up to now, home charging has served me well and the ability to go to 100% with no time constraints. Now here's where my "range" question gets interesting, bear with me please.

The FL 5 has a theoretical range of 250 miles at its best from a 58kwh battery. I'll assume for my journeys, 4 miles/kw. So I leave home @ 100%, stop @ 10%, so approx. 208 miles.

Now I have to top up at a public charger, regardless of charging speed. From what I've read, getting to 80% can happen pretty quickly but 80-100% can take a while to preserve the HV battery. So say we settle for getting to 80% and set off again. Range would then be 80% but allowing for that 10% buffer again, only 70% available. At this figure, the "range" becomes 162 miles (58kwh x 70% = 40.6, then x 4 miles/kw = 162 miles)

So all this talk of 200+ miles only seems to apply if I can get to 100% charge but with time constraints at public chargers and people's attitude to waiting for that extra 20%, it seems the realistic range of a FL 5 is just c.160 miles when away from home. And this is based on what could be an optimistic 4 miles/kw.

If someone wants to check my maths, has any thoughts or feels I've missed the point, please enlighten me.

Heh ho, welcome to MG 5 ownership

My MG5 SR will do 220 miles easily in summer (best measured 250miles in very hot weather) but everyone's range is different because driving style and road conditions differ. I do average 1000 miles a week non motorway but a bit of everything else.

 

[BananaDuck]

You imply that this is a round trip on the same day, which is perfectly doable with a long stop (say 10-12 hrs) at your destination. However it would be preferable to stop overnight stop then a standard 7kW charger would be the way to go.

 

[RogerWill]

Thanks for the replies so far, much appreciated

Most of my round trip journeys will be c.260 miles, so I accept that I'll have to stop once on the way back, no problem. Every two weeks, there'll be a 340 mile journey, 170 miles each way, same route both ways. I guess then it'll be two stops until I can get back to my Ohme and 100%.

I take on board the 20-80% idea but then I'd be down to c.139 miles between stops. As all the journeys will be repetitive, experience, trial & error and time should get me the best results

In colder weather you may get less than 3m/ kW iat 50/55 cruising, less if you want to keep warm.So 2 charges might not be enough.

 

[Gomev]

In colder weather you may get less than 3m/ kW iat 50/55 cruising, less if you want to keep warm.So 2 charges might not be enough.

Have a look at my post following a journey last December. Whilst initially cold the battery drained really quickly but once warmed.....

🥶HOW LOW CAN WE GO🥶

Hi all Saturday morning my car was charged up fully to 100% After a few trips of a couple of miles here there and everywhere (32 miles in total using 40% of the battery) Here is what my dash is showing Granted the outside temperature has not got above 0°C and I have had heating on max as well...

www.mgevs.com

 

[manictomb]

Don't forget to reset your mileage to 0 as it will reset the reading so get a better reading do it now and again

 

[Gadget Geek]

Don't forget to reset your mileage to 0 as it will reset the reading so get a better reading do it now and again

That will give a false "default" value and won't reflect how you personally drive the car and influence the prediction.

 

[Pebble]

First long trip now completed (Shropshire SY4 to London HA4), 165 miles each way and gernerally all went well.
Left home with 100%, travelled 150 miles south to Beaconsfield services M40, topped back up to 82%. Two Gridserve 50kw chargers in use at midday, three cars waiting. Drive over to six ionity chargers 100 yards away, two available so quickly take one. Easy contacless payment but needed to activate via app. Weather conditions poor on way down, wind and rain, so kept it to 60-65mph, 3.6 m/kw.
Carry on to destination, stay over night and start journey back next day, better conditions, dry and sunny. Knowing I could just make it back home with 9 miles to spare, thought it best to charge on return just in case. Not needing much extra to get safely home, dropped in Warwick northbound, two chargers both in use, two cars waiting.
Onwards to Hopwood Park services, westbound M42. Again, two chargers in use and two cars waiting. Lots of Tesla chargers available and also a dozen or so new fast chargers but not yet commissoned.
Now starting to get twitchy bottom moment.
Onwards to Frankley Services North M5, one 50kw Gridserve charger in use but guy only has 7% to go. ***, he was on 93% !! He moves off after 30 minutes and I get charged up to 55%, more than enough to get home. Noticed they have another untethered 22kw charge point but of no use to me. Again, only one charge point ***.
Return jouney yielded 3.9m/kw and drove at 70-75mph as I really couldn't hack it at 60-65mph.
I learnt a lot on this first long distance trip:
Consider using fast chargers just off the motorway but may need to drive some distance.
60-65mph wasn't worth it for me and journey felt more comfortable at higher speeds given the traffic and conditions.
Some motorway services are sadly lacking in charge points.
Avoid the popular, well served services at peak times (lunchtime?) but why should I?
Should have added that my wife at home helped a lot on the phone by giving me "live" updates as to what was out there and availabilty, thank you wifey.
Next journey in a month's time, let's see how we get on and what I change (if anything).
Thanks for reading.

 

[Jomarkh]

When we are on a trip we go off the motorway to pick up a Rapid at an Instavolt or Osprey as the are reliable. I wouldn't consider a fast EVSE unless we were shopping for a few hours.
Your first Gridserve was a bit slow at 5kW

 

[Gadget Geek]

Most route planners allow you to show chargers within a set distance of your route. I rarely use motorway chargers because of the availability and the number of drivers trying to use them.

 

[Pebble]

When we are on a trip we go off the motorway to pick up a Rapid at an Instavolt or Osprey as the are reliable. I wouldn't consider a fast EVSE unless we were shopping for a few hours.
Your first Gridserve was a bit slow at 5kW

Sorry, typo - "0" key on laptop is sticky lol. So 50Kw doh.
Post now edited.

 

[Gomev]

.....
Return jouney yielded 3.9m/kw and drove at 70-75mph as I really couldn't hack it at 60-65mph.
...

Don't forget your speedo is very accurate. Your last ICE vehicle probably overread by about 10% at 75mph so actually only doing 70 or less.
I notice this when setting the ACC to 65mph on motorways and find I'm slowly passing other vehicles that obviously have their cruise control set at 70mph.

 

[Gadget Geek]

I use a GPS speedo as a Head Up Display and the car speedometer is 1mph lower than GPS speed, which is better than the Kona which was 3mph below the GPS speed.