Miles Roberts' in-car review of the MG HS PHEV for Chorley Group

[Stuart Wright]

 

[Cocijo]

Will the HS charge the battery from the engine or is it just regen and plugging in that does that? Does it use regen when the ICE is engaged to charge the battery and save on braking?

 

[Stuart Wright]

Will the HS charge the battery from the engine or is it just regen and plugging in that does that? Does it use regen when the ICE is engaged to charge the battery and save on braking?

I'm sure it will charge the battery exclusively from regen (whenever the brake pedal is used) and plugging in.
It will be interesting to know whether it charges when slowing down while in cruise control. The ZS EV doesn't. All cars should do, really.

 

[Henri8]

Will the HS charge the battery from the engine or is it just regen and plugging in that does that? Does it use regen when the ICE is engaged to charge the battery and save on braking?

The engine does charge the battery while driving and you can either select automatic/Standard, Medium or High. Medium being around 50% battery level and High charging up to 100%.
Standard is default and depletes the battery according to the average drivers journey range.

 

[Cocijo]

The engine does charge the battery while driving and you can either select automatic, standard or medium. Medium being around 50% battery level and standard charging up to 100%.

That’s useful - thanks.

 

[Lovemyev]

But remember you are burning fossil fuel to put miles back into the HV battery.
Not cost effective unless you are receiving a “Fuel Allowance” with your job of course.
I previous car was a PHEV and I owned it for four years.
I never used the engine to put charge back into the HV battery, false economy.
I noticed that Volvo announced only yesterday, that they will not be selling ICE or hybrid cars from 2030.
Full EV or nothing !.

 

[Henri8]

But remember you are burning fossil fuel to put miles back into the HV battery.
Not cost effective unless you are receiving a “Fuel Allowance” with your job of course.
I previous car was a PHEV and I owned it for four years.
I never used the engine to put charge back into the HV battery, false economy.
I noticed that Volvo announced only yesterday, that they will not be selling ICE or hybrid cars from 2030.
Full EV or nothing !.

The fully charged battery option is meant for a destination with an exhaust ban in my view.

 

[Lovemyev]

Owning a PHEV with a small battery that can be charged at home on cheap rate electric is the way to go.
Then using that limited electric range in a way that best utilises the journey ahead, is the trick really.
You need the ability to dip in and out of that pure electric range as and when you need it.
My previous car had a "Battery Hold" function button.
It had to be one of the best features of the car in my opinion.
Town driving and speeds below 40 Mph are the best use of your electric range.
Above this speed and you are better using hybrid mode and conserving your electric range for latter in the journey.
Unless the trip is really short and ( or ) you have the ability to charge at your destination of course.
You need to be pulling onto the drive with zero electric miles left on the GOM and a smile on your face.
I really enjoyed my time with my PHEV - but you do get bitten by the EV bug alright !.

 

[Henri8]

FYI: Different driving modes as shown on instrument cluster

 

[Cocijo]

FYI: Different driving modes as shown on instrument cluster


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Is it quite nippy in engine and EV combined mode?

 

[Lovemyev]

My previous VW Golf GTE was really quick in GTE mode !.

 

[Henri8]

Is it quite nippy in engine and EV combined mode?

It is...
6,9 secs to 100km/hr

 

[Cocijo]

Thats good for a big car too.

 

[bin]

It is...
6,9 secs to 100km/hr

6.9 secs to 100 km / h ... hmm .. in China maybe, I have not yet seen a serious test where those times have been achieved.
Our own best time (totally unprofessionally measured on an iPhone stopwatch), is app. 8.8 sec to 100 km / h.
But it is fast up to about 80 km / h ...and then the poor thing desperately looks for the next gear!

View attachment 3359

 

[Henri8]

6.9 secs to 100 km / h ... hmm .. in China maybe, I have not yet seen a serious test where those times have been achieved.
Our own best time (totally unprofessionally measured on an iPhone stopwatch), is app. 8.8 sec to 100 km / h.
But it is fast up to about 80 km / h ...and then the poor thing desperately looks for the next gear!

View attachment 3359

Hi Bin,
Welcome! You are right, others agree with you. When I mentioned it on a question I just forwarded the info from the specifications.
I never tried it out and the stalling gear at 80 km is mainly occurring in the EV mode unfortunately!
Have a look at those threads and the Poll.

 

[peter giles]

my new mg car hs phev i did 74 miles at a cost of 10£ this is not for me tell me it dose 159 miles this is not true

 

[Jto]

I'm sure it will charge the battery exclusively from regen (whenever the brake pedal is used) and plugging in.
It will be interesting to know whether it charges when slowing down while in cruise control. The ZS EV doesn't. All cars should do, really.

Today got my HS PHEV down to 0% on the battery, when I stop the ICE continues to run 1100 Rpm and the EV motor at 1600 Rpm and with in 3 minutes had put 2% in to the battery.
At this point on the I turned on the battery control to high and with 5 minutes had 5% recovered in the battery. So if on long run away from home if using the ICE with more revs could fill it in no time which would not hit consumption that much, I will try this out later in the month.

 

[Lovemyev]

Today got my HS PHEV down to 0% on the battery, when I stop the ICE continues to run 1100 Rpm and the EV motor at 1600 Rpm and with in 3 minutes had put 2% in to the battery.
At this point on the I turned on the battery control to high and with 5 minutes had 5% recovered in the battery. So if on long run away from home if using the ICE with more revs could fill it in no time which would not hit consumption that much, I will try this out later in the month.

Charging the HV battery from the ICE is surly not cost effective though ?.
Reducing your MPG to gain a few electrical miles is expensive way of doing it.
But if you need the EV miles to get around a big city, then so be it.

 

[Cocijo]

I don't understand the electric motor spinning at 1600rpm when stopped.

 

[Jto]

Charging the HV battery from the ICE is surly not cost effective though ?.
Reducing your MPG to gain a few electrical miles is expensive way of doing it.
But if you need the EV miles to get around a big city, then so be it.

For every day running to work or down the shop not a good way to charge better to charge at home. But if you are on the main road or motorway which you would be running the ICE on a long drive then if battery is down to 0% you will find it will start charging the battery anyway which I found out today but I was on a very short run.
later this month I will be able to conduct so crude test to see how this will preform.
I have not found any figures on how long charge will take this way how fare you need to travel to come back 100% and as I said in the post this would be if away from home.