@MG expert Charging 80% useful?

[Johnberg51]

Here you go:

Electric Life | MG Motor UK

Venture behind the wheel with our MG blog to view a whole host of articles written by experts. Learn about electric cars, top tech and more here.

mg.co.uk

Recommended 20% to 80% for best health of the battery, but ironic as the car provides no way to set these parameters at all!!

In your case Frank, I would try not to keep charging to full after every few mile trip as you say you do now, that is about the worst thing you can do to a lithium battery.

Thank you very much Paulie this is what I needed to read?, even on the site of MG itself. Strange that I did not find this article myself, I really did awsome lot of Googling. I could not find this at MGmotor.eu.
They don’t say how to charge to 80% but I think the best way is just planning and finish the charging by just unlock the doors of the MG after unplug everything.
Thanks everybody again for quick response ?
This is really a very fine and usefull forum, much better then we have in Holland.
Forget to introduce myself:
My name is Jan, 69 years old (maybe the battery will survive me ?)
I learned for electronics and this was always my hobby.

 

[Frank]

I am not a rich man (neither poor) and I tend to change my cars on an impulse more than anything else but probably about 5yrs maximum. I am quite happy to be a guinea pig and see how my battery is in a few years time with the constant charging and will report back to the forum.

Constant charging aside as my normal daily mileage is quite low the car is usually always at the upper limit and the BMS will most likely only "trickle charge" (old term that used to be used when charging our lead acid batterys in my time in the army) i.e. very slow, probably under 3kwh until the BMS limited 100% is reached.

All the best.

Frank

PS Other than noticing a drop off in Range how else would one know the true state of your battery pack, does anyone know of a company who can test this?

 

[KasEV]

Folks,
I think a charging regime of some sort is probably worth having.
3 charges a week if your do 30miles week days and less than 10miles at weekends. Anything above that and you will have to charge daily.
I do not do any exact measurements.
When I can I stop the charge before it is full otherwise I leave it plugged in till whenever I need to drive again.
There is a way of effecting a charging time clock in the pop up screen on the dashboard so when I want to charge to 80%, I just take 30min off.
This 28% to 80% business is on of the reasons some manufacturers like Tesla keep pushing for all EV to have a basic standard range of 350 to 500miles. Otherwise EVs will not be something the ordinary man would like. If the battery capacity and range of an EV is large enough ie over 350miles then this 20% - 80% issues become less of a bother.

 

[Kithmo]

How will one notice the drop off in range to 80% capacity if we keep charging the battery to 80% anyway ?
Will it even matter, if we're only charging to and using 80% capacity due to our battery protecting charging regime ?
Who knows, in 6, 7 or more years time, assuming we keep the car that long, when we come to replace the battery, a larger capacity new battery might be an option.

 

[Frank]

How will one notice the drop off in range to 80% capacity if we keep charging the battery to 80% anyway ?
Will it even matter, if we're only charging to and using 80% capacity due to our battery protecting charging regime ?
Who knows, in 6, 7 or more years time, assuming we keep the car that long, when we come to replace the battery, a larger capacity new battery might be an option.

That's why as Cathrine Tates says "I am not bothered"

I will continue to plug it in every night regardless.

night all.

Regards

Frank

 

[Johnberg51]

How will one notice the drop off in range to 80% capacity if we keep charging the battery to 80% anyway ?

I always just set accumulated total to zero after every charge. After I will certainly notice what the range will do as years go by.

@Frank I completely understand you, it is hard to say goodbye to that “Ready to go feeling”?
But I think EV driving need some more planning then a petrol or diesel car

 

[Johnberg51]

Good news (Google translated)

https://www.oliver-krischer.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/English_Studie.pdf

See page 10

A new (Dutch) study reveals wrong thoughts about the electric car.

A discussion that we have not yet settled on is the camp electric car vs. conventional car. An EV may not emit anything during a car journey, but there are some question marks about generating the power. Especially in Germany, where the car industry is a major part of the economy, it is an important topic.

Eindhoven University of Technology has conducted research (pdf) into the electric car on behalf of the German Greens. They looked at the emissions, but also the lifespan of the batteries. Various falsehoods have been debunked with the outcome of the investigation.

The research shows, among other things, that EVs are relatively cleaner, even if the electricity has been upgraded with coal-fired power stations, for example. Another conclusion is that electric cars last longer than initially thought. An EV has not been written off at 150,000 km as previously assumed, but that average has been adjusted to 250,000 km. In addition, modern EV batteries lose less than 20% capacity after the first 500,000 kilometers driven.

The development of the electric car and its technology is progressing rapidly. Indeed, the first EVs that came onto the market about eight years ago are not that great anymore. However, if you look at the new electric cars, major strides have been made, especially in the field of (fast) charging and the charging infrastructure.

 

[Frank]

Great,

By the time I have driven 500,000 Kms I might be too old to drive (already 65) as this equate to about 13 years of the mileage I do, so I will keep plugging it in EVERY night.

Have a good week all.

Regards

Frank

 

[KasEV]

@Johnberg51
EVs are indeed good.
The main issue is the batteries and particulate dust due to their weight.
Once the battery issues are sorted and we start construction of high tech roads and motorways and improve on tyres then all is sorted.
The research you highlighted is excellent and reassuring but when it comes to charging our current EVs, I think we need more improvements to make it simple and straightforward. The cars should have more sophisticated software to manage the 20% to 80% charge and equalisation charge and high battery capacity with long range as standard.
I am getting fed up of route planning, checking range and waiting for charge points when on the motorways.

 

[Johnberg51]

I found out that equalization only is proceeded after 100% charge.
I have a granny which displays the total charging time and charged Kwh.
A charge with equalization takes about one and a half hour longer and happens about one time in every 4 standard charges (charged with 16A).
I think it is very important that you perform a 100% charging after every four 80% charges, so equalization can be proceeded.
If you have used fast chargers several times, you have to do the same.
The MG message centre even gives a prompt to do that.
I wonder if you get the same prompt after several 80% charges

 

[KasEV]

I found out that equalization only is proceeded after 100% charge.
I have a granny which displays the total charging time and charged Kwh.
A charge with equalization takes about one and a half hour longer and happens about one time in every 4 standard charges (charged with 16A).
I think it is very important that you perform a 100% charging after every four 80% charges, so equalization can be proceeded.
If you have used fast chargers several times, you have to do the same.
The MG message centre even gives a prompt to do that.
I wonder if you get the same prompt after several 80% charges

View attachment 500

Not really a problem in real life setting I think. I have not needed really to worry about equalisation as I believe the BMS sorts it out. I maybe leave the car plugged in for prolonged periods about once a month and I have never had that equalisation prompt as yet.

 

[Frank]

@Johnberg51
EVs are indeed good.
The main issue is the batteries and particulate dust due to their weight.
Once the battery issues are sorted and we start construction of high tech roads and motorways and improve on tyres then all is sorted.
The research you highlighted is excellent and reassuring but when it comes to charging our current EVs, I think we need more improvements to make it simple and straightforward. The cars should have more sophisticated software to manage the 20% to 80% charge and equalisation charge and high battery capacity with long range as standard.
I am getting fed up of route planning, checking range and waiting for charge points when on the motorways.

Hi KasEV,

You know something I really like my car and any other EV if it comes to that. Putting aside all the environmental issues I just think they are much better to drive than ICE cars and because of less moving parts to go wrong they are more reliable.

The real issue with the "range anxiety" of any EV cars is NOT how far can they go on one charge or not as the case may be, or even how long its takes to charge. The real problem is the public charging system, there is just NOT enough of them to completely take away the "oh shit factor" I am running out and can't get to a charger that is either;- broken, unavailable due to an ICE parking issue, or plainly a long waiting time due to another EV using it, that's the real problem and until someone in Government sorts it out quickly the "magic date will not be met".

I can always find a charger on the various apps, its the "I hope its working and free issue that gives me the Range Anxiety" not how far my car can travel on a charge (although that is a factor obviously, but NOT my main worry), so bring on banks of Rapid Chargers on ALL motorway service stations, that is what we need.


All the best.

Frank

PS If you get up to Falkirk sometime have a look at the Falkirk Stadium charging station its brilliant and powered by Solar Panels mainly, that is the way to go.

 

[Johnberg51]

@Johnberg51
EVs are indeed good.
The main issue is the batteries and particulate dust due to their weight.

I think our MG is not more heavy than an average SUV on gasoline.
I also read that there people who think that the brakes of an EV are causing a lot of particulate dust because the car is so heavy.
I drive my MG two months now and almost forget where the brake pedal is because I only use it for the last 3 meters.
Always use regen braking on number 3 and I really like that, it is just like a game.
I think the brakes have eternal live.
I think the big 75 Kw battery Tesla’s do more harm, but not our MG?

 

[shikoku14]

I think our MG is not more heavy than an average SUV on gasoline.
I also read that there people who think that the brakes of an EV are causing a lot of particulate dust because the car is so heavy.
I drive my MG two months now and almost forget where the brake pedal is because I only use it for the last 3 meters.
Always use regen braking on number 3 and I really like that, it is just like a game.
I think the brakes have eternal live.
I think the big 75 Kw battery Tesla’s do more harm, but not our MG?

The danger is the brake disks rusting away through lack of use. I think this is part of the reason VAG are using drum brakes on their MEB platform on the rears.

 

[Johnberg51]

As I said, I use the brakes for the last meters, I hope this is enough to prevent rust on the disks.

 

[Kithmo]

Does regen work in reverse and/or at low speeds ?

 

[Johnberg51]

Why should you need it in reverse?
With higher speeds you have more deceleration using regen then with lower speeds. It needs very good timing when you are approaching a traffic light to stand still at the right moment using regen. I only use the brakes for this last correction.
We are going off topic now

 

[Paulie68]

If you do notice rust building up on the brake disks, just turn KERS down to 1 for a couple of days and drive it old school using the brakes more, it'll soon clean them up

 

[Kithmo]

Why should you need it in reverse?
With higher speeds you have more deceleration using regen then with lower speeds. It needs very good timing when you are approaching a traffic light to stand still at the right moment using regen. I only use the brakes for this last correction.
We are going off topic now

I don't need it, in fact the opposite. I was thinking that if it doesn't come on in reverse then I assume the brake pads are doing the braking and hence a good way to clear the surface rust off the discs.

 

[KasEV]

I think our MG is not more heavy than an average SUV on gasoline.
I also read that there people who think that the brakes of an EV are causing a lot of particulate dust because the car is so heavy.
I drive my MG two months now and almost forget where the brake pedal is because I only use it for the last 3 meters.
Always use regen braking on number 3 and I really like that, it is just like a game.
I think the brakes have eternal live.
I think the big 75 Kw battery Tesla’s do more harm, but not our MG?

@Johnberg51
Well whatever the case the problem with EVs is Batteries. 44.5kWh or 75kWh both are a problem.
This is why an EV has to be driven for over 25000miles before it beings to achieve emission equivalence with a comparable ICE.
Because of the initial emissions hit of EV manufacturing due mainly to Batteries one can only hope Batteries become better and more environmental friendly if not we will just be replacing carbon emissions with more complicated environmental, social and political issues related to manufacturing of batteries.