My experience owning a 2021 MG ZS EV for a year

[ScottFisk]

I’ve owned a first-gen MG ZS EV for about 12 months now and wanted to share my experience to see if others have had similar issues.

I bought it used in Dec 2024 with ~49,000km for $25k, which in hindsight was probably a red flag. Real-world range for me is about 180–220km on a good day, 100–120km on a bad one. I regularly drive between Newcastle and Sydney, which is doable but sometimes requires charging on the way if I don't fill completely.

Early on I found:

• Tesla Superchargers don’t work at all (“unauthorized vehicle”).
• BP chargers were unreliable at first (now mostly OK after app updates).
• TPMS faults and a weak 12V battery from day one.

The big issue has been an intermittent “Control System Fault”, usually triggered by certain start/stop or charging sequences. The worst incident left the car stranded after DC charging and required a tow. MG blamed the charger, the charger provider blamed MG, and I was without the car for weeks with no courtesy vehicle — and ended up paying $220 AUD to get it back as the fault was not related to MG.

The fault later happened again on a road trip, but this time I managed to clear it myself using a cheap Bluetooth OBD-II reader, which immediately brought the car back to life while on the road. Since then, I’ve had no major issues, but I now always keep an OBD-II reader in the car just in case.

Outside of that, the car itself has been good. I’ve done 26,000km in a year, enjoy driving it, and it’s been fine day-to-day. My main takeaway for other ZS EV owners:

• Be careful with charging/start sequences, take it slow and wait for the HV relay to engage or dis-engage before re-starting or stopping the car
• Keep the 12V battery healthy (don't leave the car for long periods of time without a trickle charger and replace every 3-4 years)
• Carry an OBD-II reader — it may save you a tow

Curious if others with early ZS EVs have seen similar faults or had better dealer support, especially with software updates and warranty claims.