Motorway Range

[Baggie]

I drive about 46 miles mostly on the motorway each way to work (92 miles) and am considering getting a MG ZS EV to minimise servicing and fuel costs. Charging costs shouldn’t be a problem as we have solar panels at home. I was just wondering how those who have owned the car have found the motorway mileage like? Theoretically I should be able to get by but would have to charge every night, but not sure how this would be in the real world and how the battery degrades over time?
And how are you all getting by with the granny charger? Does it really take 6 hours to fully charge or is it actually longer?
Thanks

 

[Mark Holmes]

The car will easily make this trip at motorway speeds even in the winter months and battery degradation is minimal with slow charging, it’s the constant rapid charging that does the damage Mike Proctor noted a 1% drop off over the 1st 12 months.

 

[ChrisT]

As above you will have no trouble doing the round trip, you should have 40 to 70 miles left in the battery depending on season and range, driving efficiently ie 60mph and maybe behind a lorry in high winds. You can drive with all gadgets and comforts turned on. You wont need to rapid charge. Do you know if your work place has any chargers, many do and will give free electricity. It's always efficient to be able to get to work and plug in so the car is charging while you are working. Alternatively will they allow you to plug in a three pin plug charger. It's worth investing in a home charger, also check out energy providers ev tariffs offering cheap night time rates, Octopus energy Agile and Ohme, this could save a lot.

 

[mj224]

The granny charger (3 pin socket) takes at least 12 hours for a full charge from a low battery state. Maybe longer.

 

[Kithmo]

The granny charger (3 pin socket) takes at least 12 hours for a full charge from a low battery state. Maybe longer.

Up to 20 hours from flat. I wouldn't rely on the granny charger alone for the OP's journey. If he gets say 110 on a full charge, motorway journey in Winter, he's going to be left with 14 miles or around 8% left in the battery each night. Correct me if I'm wrong but by my reckoning 8-100% will take about 19 hours on the 2.2 kWh granny, so he probably won't have a full charge by morning.

 

[ChrisT]

I did a range test two weeks ago, I didnt base it on the estimated car range on the display but on real world range. It was 125 miles round trip in filthy cold dark conditions and I had approx 15 miles left in last bar so winter range of 135 to 140. So 90 miles wont be a problem so long as its driven for economy and range.

 

[Exdro]

100 miles on motorway even in winter with all battery draining devices on should be no problem. Wouldn't rely on granny charger (unless you can plug in at work. Well worth getting 7Kw home charger. My costs with EDF at 8p per KWh for a charge at the cheap rate is about £2.50 per hundred miles i.e. 2.5p per mile. ( Currently on Go electric Jan 21 tariff but that increases in price by 1p perKWh from 17 to 18 Normal rate and 8 to 9 p cheap rate which starts at 9.00pm until 7.am GMT an all week end from 9.00 PM Friday to 7.00 am on Monday. Currently trawling various companies for better rates but have not seen anything much better.

 

[Mgzs ev]

I had just the feeling that the mg on the highway more efficiënt is than in the city...today in cold weather on the cruise control my car drive 2km/kWh ...Every test told that ev's in the city are more efficiënt with a better range but i doubt about it with the mg

 

[Mark Holmes]

No you are wrong the city is much more efficient as I noticed many more miles per KWh when in London; I can assure you of that..

 

[Kithmo]

I had just the feeling that the mg on the highway more efficiënt is than in the city...today in cold weather on the cruise control my car drive 2km/kWh ...Every test told that ev's in the city are more efficiënt with a better range but i doubt about it with the mg

In the Summer, I found mine more efficient on a long trip on A-roads than urban driving. I've only done about 10 motorway miles in it so not had a long enough motorway trip to test it.

 

[tintin]

mine seems to vary between 2.6 and 3.1 miles per KW on main A roads, but around town only 3 miles/KW, but the most it will charge up to on my home charger is 152 miles of range, so even at 3 miles/KW should have enough range for 120 miles and the home charger fully charges it from 20% to 85% in about 5 hours

 

[Garweb]

No you are wrong the city is much more efficient as I noticed many more miles per KWh when in London; I can assure you of that..

Yes KERS is bound to have a greater effect in returning a charge. Have noticed it in city driving

 

[Mclean93]

The car will easily make this trip at motorway speeds even in the winter months and battery degradation is minimal with slow charging, it’s the constant rapid charging that does the damage Mike Proctor noted a 1% drop off over the 1st 12 months.

I drive 36 miles each way motorway driving to and from work. And i was getting around 60 miles left at the end of everyday. However about 3 weeks ago my fully charged car was only giving me 122 miles and by the time i got home from. Driving 72 miles inwas down to about 12 - 15 miles left. Any idea why the sudden change. Driving style hasnt changed.

 

[Noraf142]

Outside temperature and road conditions?

 

[vvcangel]

I drive 36 miles each way motorway driving to and from work. And i was getting around 60 miles left at the end of everyday. However about 3 weeks ago my fully charged car was only giving me 122 miles and by the time i got home from. Driving 72 miles inwas down to about 12 - 15 miles left. Any idea why the sudden change. Driving style hasnt changed.

I’d love to know the answer to this too as I’ve been getting great mileage out of mine on daily driving urban and longer regularly and my fully charged zs only has 172 miles range I got from Essex to Peterborough (in eco mode not driving fast, no music nothing plugged in etc just the car) and after picking up my family member I needed to stop and charge as it dropped to “low state of charge please charge” I only had 35 miles left!!!
So I stopped, fast charged it full, and I kid you not that by the time I got back to essex once more again in eco mode with nothing on.. it was back to “low state of charge”!!!!
I’ve only had the car 6 months!!!

 

[Exdro]

All to do with the external temperature. No battery performs well when cold. When temperature drops below zero. The range will plummet. Above 7 and it should be back to normal. (Ball park figures).

 

[Gadget Geek]

Also, the weight of an extra person in the car will affect efficiency.

 

[vvcangel]

All to do with the external temperature. No battery performs well when cold. When temperature drops below zero. The range will plummet. Above 7 and it should be back to normal. (Ball park figures).

The temp was around 10 so it should have been fine.

 

[vvcangel]

Also, the weight of an extra person in the car will affect efficiency.

I hardly think that the combined weight of three women one who weighs 8 stone and the others two elderly ones who weigh next to nothing are going to drag my car down. Had my husband (16stone) been in the car then maybe but not us.

 

[drmcw]

I hardly think that the combined weight of three women one who weighs 8 stone and the others two elderly ones who weigh next to nothing are going to drag my car down. Had my husband (16stone) been in the car then maybe but not us.

But you think eco mode and playing music does?

Not sure what your question is though? How far did you travel? A good reference can be found here.