MG4 Vmax and kW/h, any real world experiences?

[Hboutdat]

I know most of the conversation around speed & m/kWh on here tends to focus on the optimal range side, and rightly so, but I'm also curious about the quoted upper performance statistics from MG and how the car behaves/feels from a driver confidence pov when doing so.

MG quote 100mph (160kph) vmax across all three variants so I expect this is a software limit rather than a hardware one, but has anyone found a suitably unrestricted area to put this to a real world test??

Seeing people reporting certain amounts of vibration and wind noise at UK legal speed limits, or the moving bits regurgitating their lubricants on longer runs, makes me wonder how well the car may cope when more is asked of it.

Also with that in mind has anyone actually rung the neck of their MG4 long enough to see, if motor and battery temps allow for such sustained foolishness? or where the guess'o'meter puts the m/kWh when pushed to its upper limit. Even if its a question thats also fairly 'ambient temperature' dependant.

For instance I've seen glimpses in videos of the car being used at a track or being pushed to break rear traction in a more open space, I wonder on a good or a bad day what the worst possible figures might be, if using the car in such an enthusiastic way.

NB: Obviously i'm not suggesting or endorsing anybody do anything illegal or unsafe in the pursuit of a scientific confirmation of MG's facts and figures.

 

[tsedge]

I understand the curiosity, although it is pretty academic for anything above legal speeds (or common motorway speeds). Still waiting for my MG4, so I don't know. However, you are right that this is typically software limited.

For EVs, top speed is a huge range killer and also puts a lot of strain on the transmission (esp. if single-speed) and motor cooling, so sustained high speed isn't something a budget EV is designed for. When Teslas first came out, they could not sustain high speed driving either but the latest versions can - but that's definitely not a budget price point.

It is worth remembering that EV technology is immature, so driving a budget EV at the limit for an extended period will probably break it, even if an ICE car (with a century of development behind it) can stand being thrashed at the red line.

 

[pd2]

I mentioned only a couple of days ago that a trophy will max out on the speedo at 106mph, it gets there quick enough but then stops, so definitely software restricted. I wouldn’t recommend doing that for any length of time, the one I seen was for about 7-10 seconds max, twice.
Probably won’t see it again.

I haven’t pushed my car to break traction intentionally, but I feel it will be quite straight forward to do. I have felt the rear slip slightly around some wet junctions and roundabouts.

 

[bowfer]

I understand the curiosity, although it is pretty academic for anything above legal speeds (or common motorway speeds). Still waiting for my MG4, so I don't know. However, you are right that this is typically software limited.

For EVs, top speed is a huge range killer and also puts a lot of strain on the transmission (esp. if single-speed) and motor cooling, so sustained high speed isn't something a budget EV is designed for. When Teslas first came out, they could not sustain high speed driving either but the latest versions can - but that's definitely not a budget price point.

It is worth remembering that EV technology is immature, so driving a budget EV at the limit for an extended period will probably break it, even if an ICE car (with a century of development behind it) can stand being thrashed at the red line.

I disagree with your last statement.
Both my leafs were ragged every day.
Max acceleration all the time (where traffic allowed) and max speed a lot (private test track on way home).
Max speed for only a short distance though, not mile after mile.
They both coped with this for 2 years and 1 year respectively without any issues at all.
The 5 loaner I have is being driven in the same manner and has been for three weeks now, seems fine.

 

[tsedge]

I disagree with your last statement.
Both my leafs were ragged every day.
Max acceleration all the time (where traffic allowed) and max speed a lot (private test track on way home).
Max speed for only a short distance though, not mile after mile.
They both coped with this for 2 years and 1 year respectively without any issues at all.
The 5 loaner I have is being driven in the same manner and has been for three weeks now, seems fine.

Well it is good to know that you are doing the testing for us @bowfer, MG (and Nissan) should be paying you.

 

[bowfer]

Well it is good to know that you are doing the testing for us @bowfer, MG (and Nissan) should be paying you.

Any car should have enough ‘leeway’ built in to cope with being driven hard all the time.
It should only cost the driver extra fuel, brake pads and tyres.
Nothing should break.

It’s just how I drive.
Some have intimated my style of driving may be to blame for the power/speed issues I’m now having with the 4, but I call horsepoop on that.
Gentler drivers have also reported the same issue, so it’s coincidence.

Anyway, to the OP
When my 4 was running properly ( a distant memory I grant you..) it did indeed do the published top speed.

 

[Hboutdat]

My donuting in the car park years are far behind me but this thing does certainly have a fun side ready to be exploited.

 

[bowfer]

I can’t even remember if/how the TC can be completely switched off to allow that.
I must have found it somehow as I was getting it lock to lock in snow.

 

[Alansurfer]

I live in Hampshire near the south cost so have a good mixture of road types. Recently been doing a 105 mile round trip, A272, A34, A30, in the mornings a couple of times a week. It’s a good route for testing out the drivability and handling.
I’ve been testing the grip limits on damp sweeping corners and larger roundabouts, sport mode will let you push the back out and the traction control catches it just in time to be able to hold the slide safely.
Quick burst overtakes (40-60mph) are easy in all modes, sport mode has better quicker steering response. 50/50 weight distribution, suspension feel and rear wheel drive feels very much like driving the BMW i4. I will do more testing today as just off on the the above journey again.

 

[stevegus]

“max speed a lot (private test track on way home).”



Honestly officer.

 

[AlAcrity]

I can’t even remember if/how the TC can be completely switched off to allow that.
I must have found it somehow as I was getting it lock to lock in snow.

There's something about switching off the ESP in the infotainment screen somewhere. I've seen it on a video. One of these ones I think. (Both in French and with dubious details, 16 inch wheels in one of them?)

 

[siteguru]

IIRC the ESC button is on the same (pull down / popup) screen where you can toggle the fog lights etc. For me this screen appears when I press the left Star button (as long as I'm not in the AA screen).

 

[bowfer]

I tell you one thing, the 4 being RWD is a bonus compared with the FWD 5.
What an annoying wheelspin monster the 5 is, reduces effective acceleration hugely.

 

[stevie211]

I mentioned only a couple of days ago that a trophy will max out on the speedo at 106mph, it gets there quick enough but then stops, so definitely software restricted. I wouldn’t recommend doing that for any length of time, the one I seen was for about 7-10 seconds max, twice.
Probably won’t see it again.

I haven’t pushed my car to break traction intentionally, but I feel it will be quite straight forward to do. I have felt the rear slip slightly around some wet junctions and roundabouts.

Can confirm i got the same limited speed and it felt like it had a bit more to give too. Was surprising how quick it got there and how stable it was also.

 

[tsedge]

I tell you one thing, the 4 being RWD is a bonus compared with the FWD 5.
What an annoying wheelspin monster the 5 is, reduces effective acceleration hugely.

So true. FWD really puts me off many EVs.

 

[bowfer]

So true. FWD really puts me off many EVs.

Few and far between though.
MG5, Leaf and Zoe are it I think?

 

[siteguru]

Is the Niro EV not FWD?

Is it not more the case that the greater number of EVs are FWD, and the RWD options are more limited? Or are the numbers more evenly split?

 

[Hboutdat]

Few and far between though.
MG5, Leaf and Zoe are it I think?

Plus that Megane E-tech thing people keep coming onto an MG forum to go on about

 

[siteguru]

Plus e2008, eGolf, Merc EQV, Mazda MX-30, Kona, Mokka-e, Corsa-e .... admittedly some of these are in a different segment.

 

[bowfer]

Is the Niro EV not FWD?

Is it not more the case that the greater number of EVs are FWD, and the RWD options are more limited? Or are the numbers more evenly split?

Maybe
I just remember some surprising RWD modems like the ID3, Mach-E, enyaq etc
I say surprising as I bet most people would suspect/assume the ID3 is FWD for sure.