Low mileage when fully charged

[Ron Tanner]

I live in Melbourne and have the MG EV for 8 months. I now find that when fully charged from my home plug points it shows 100% and 260 km. However when I start the car the Indicator shows only 220 km. The dealer is of no help and gives me stupid answers. Can anyone help as to the reason for the drop in (km) distance. Cheers

 

[Les burrows]

Hi Ron, you say your car shows 260km and then drops to 220, now you need to be sure that when you start the car that everything is switched off, for example when the Air-conditioning or heater fires up you will see a drop in range of about your figures here in the uk we have miles not kilometres and after charging my car shows around a 13/14 drop in range when the heater or H-vac is turned on so just check nothing is running when you turn your car on also you will see a difference between the driving modes, example eco mode could be 260km but sport mode might only show 220 km Hope this helps
Les.

 

[ChrisR]

Yes, Les is right. It's having the HVAC turned on that gives a 15% drop in predicted range. Once you turn it off you should see 260 or 263km again.

 

[Ron Tanner]

Hi Chris,
A rather stupid question. How do you turn off the H-Vac pump. The owners manual does not give me any clue how or what to do.
Cheers
Ron

 

[Ron Tanner]

Hello Chris,
I have figured out the H-Vac !! It’s when you turn off all systems. I got 261 km ( 225 miles) Thanks for helping me out.
Cheers
Ron

 

[ChrisR]

Hello Chris,
I have figured out the H-Vac !! It’s when you turn off all systems. I got 261 km ( 225 miles) Thanks for helping me out.
Cheers
Ron

No worries Ron, glad to be of help. The real range depletion caused by the HVAC probably isn't as drastic as they predict (more like 10%) but it's handy to know roughly how much difference it makes if you need to save battery. I've been surprised how much wet roads and headwinds also reduce the efficiency but the car can't compute this for you.

 

[Ron Tanner]

Hi Chris,
My other problem is the “Droning noise” that should be heard to warn pedestrians in the vicinity particularly when reversing. I can’t get this to work. Apparently this is compulsory for an EV. A noise generator is fitted that comes through the speakers.
Can you shed some light on this problem.
Cheers
Ron

 

[ChrisR]

Hi Chris,
My other problem is the “Droning noise” that should be heard to warn pedestrians in the vicinity particularly when reversing. I can’t get this to work. Apparently this is compulsory for an EV. A noise generator is fitted that comes through the speakers.
Can you shed some light on this problem.
Cheers
Ron

There's been a bit of discussion about this. See this thread: Pedestrian warning sound

It's hard to hear from inside the car but apparently is audible to pedestrians. This video is a quite comprehensive test.

 

[Ron Tanner]

No worries Ron, glad to be of help. The real range depletion caused by the HVAC probably isn't as drastic as they predict (more like 10%) but it's handy to know roughly how much difference it makes if you need to save battery. I've been surprised how much wet roads and headwinds also reduce the efficiency but the car can't compute this for you.

Hi Chris,
I gave you the wrong mileage. 260 Km = 162 miles.
Cheers
Ron

 

[Kylie Thomas]

MG ZS EV Essance. 320km range but only shows 260km when 100% charged. Is this normal?

 

[N2STY]

MG ZS EV Essance. 320km range but only shows 260km when 100% charged. Is this normal?

It is if both trip metres haven't been reset
Regular balancing of the battery helps

 

[Kylie Thomas]

How do you reset the battery? Thanks for your help

 

[Jomarkh]

How do you reset the battery? Thanks for your help

The GOM range is calculated on your previous driving style so if you reset the trip counters and turn off heater and fan it should show the factory GOM figure

 

[Elaine]

I am having same problem with a drop in range. Car only 2 months old. What is H-vac and how can it be turned off?
Elaine

 

[Susanna]

HVAC is the climate control. Make sure that is off, (heat/fan all off) and reset your trip counters as previously mentioned.
You should then have the factory GOM.

If trip counters have not been reset, then the GOM uses your previous driving ’style’ to estimate your future mileage.

Personally, I don’t reset my trip counters, as my driving ‘style’ is eco with moderate speed only, so I get maximum mileage out of my battery and I like to see that on the GOM.

 

[Elaine]

Thanks. I do turn off heater etc. every time I get home. I will look at the trip meters.

 

[stevews]

Some zs owner said always watch the power meter at the right and try the best to limit the power output in 10, the mileage can be up to 700km in a 72kwh model

 

[Waterstoney]

My best driving efficiency was 5.0mls/kWh with ZS Trophy Connect LR, which was achieved only once during London morning rush hour traffic with average speed of 22mph in May. It would be 341miles in range or 549km.

I regularly achieve 4.8 or 4.9mls/kWh during return journey from work in evening. It is warmer in afternoon, which will give better driving efficiency.
Driving efficiency is much better now in June comparing with early spring when heater was required.
My wife only do 3mls/kWh in same car.
I am doing better because I slow down earlier with regen to reclaim more kinetic energy.

 

[Gadget Geek]

Over the last few weeks I have been monitoring my power meter and my m/kWh, and have concluded the biggest range killer is stop-start traffic. When I'm running "Dad's Taxi" on the same route into town and back at different times of the day, I can see the difference.

Early morning with no traffic and traffic lights on demand, I can keep a constant 30mph with the power meter at 5% or below, using regen to approach the traffic lights until they change and continue without stopping. Doing this, I get 0.1 m/kWh increase every quater mile. (I got over 5 m/kWh last week )

In stop-start traffic, as I slow down with regen I get back 0.1 - 0.2 m/kWh. However, depending on how quickly I accelerate, I lose 0.2 - 0.3 m/kWh, so never improve the overall efficiency.

 

[Lovemyev]

Over the last few weeks I have been monitoring my power meter and my m/kWh, and have concluded the biggest range killer is stop-start traffic. When I'm running "Dad's Taxi" on the same route into town and back at different times of the day, I can see the difference.

Early morning with no traffic and traffic lights on demand, I can keep a constant 30mph with the power meter at 5% or below, using regen to approach the traffic lights until they change and continue without stopping. Doing this, I get 0.1 m/kWh increase every quater mile. (I got over 5 m/kWh last week )

In stop-start traffic, as I slow down with regen I get back 0.1 - 0.2 m/kWh. However, depending on how quickly I accelerate, I lose 0.2 - 0.3 m/kWh, so never improve the overall efficiency.

This is similar in an ICE car really, pulling off from a standing start to get the heavy mass moving, is not economical but some times unavoidable .
Only light pressure applied on the “Go” pedal and try to maintain your momentum at a constant rate without constant on & off the “Go” pedal is the order of the day.
On reasonable sized trip last week, I did managed to achieve 5.1 M/KWh.
Then had to stop at three sets of traffic lights, this soon dropped efficiency back to 4.8 M/kWh.
I would say I am seeing around about 4.5 M/kWh on a pretty regular basis recently.
As you know, I am a regular trip resetter fan myself, so I am regularly reintroduced to to the GOM and efficiency figures per trip and not a mean average built on historical data.
It’s just some thing I started when we had the Gen 1 and I am unable to kick the habit, now we have the Gen 2 model.
Maybe I should consider under going some treatment for my addiction .
Hey …. Each to there own I guess.