Seeking Advice on ZS Hybrid Plus Fuel Efficiency and Electric Motor Usage

[Jockster]

My hope is that after 2,100 mls it may settle down a bit? Was your photo with heating on? Battery low? 2,000 revs not an issue if the engine is filling battery up or cold.

 

[Jam]

My hope is that after 2,100 mls it may settle down a bit? Was your photo with heating on? Battery low? 2,000 revs not an issue if the engine is filling battery up or cold.

The heating was off and the outside temperature was 7c. Battery was just under the half way mark.

 

[Jockster]

Not too sure what's going on. Some cars seem to be doing fine others not. MG are made aware of my issues. Others should do the same.

 

[Gabor85]

Hi everyone,

I recently bought a ZS Hybrid Plus and have been driving it carefully for 10 days now, with a daily commute of 20 miles, switching to eco mode and using the regenerative 3 setting. However, I’m concerned because I’ve yet to see any significant improvement in fuel efficiency, averaging only 36.4 mpg despite not exceeding 40 mph (trip computer says average 26 mph). I’ve only noticed the electric motor engaging on two short occasions, and both times were after driving for over 45 minutes. However, once I exceeded speeds around 8 mph, the electric motor switched off and it reverted back to fuel consumption.

I’ve also read other users discussing high revs, which I’m also experiencing, and wonder if that’s affecting my fuel economy. I’m trying to understand when and how the electric motor should be engaging. Does the battery need to be full for it to kick in? Should I be seeing the electric motor use more frequently, especially with my driving habits?

The main reason I chose this model was for its fuel efficiency, but now I’m starting to question if there’s an issue with my vehicle. Should I be concerned or is there something I might be missing in terms of optimal driving or understanding how the hybrid system works?
Any advice or insights would be really appreciated.

Thank you in advance!

J

Hi
Since your post, have you got any change of the fuel consumption? Mine hasn't changed, and I've done 2100 miles already. Currently getting only 42 mpg. Mg said everything is fine with the car and has no fault.....
Ridiculous - but I was expected exactly the same answer from them.

Please get back to me

 

[Jam]

Hi
Since your post, have you got any change of the fuel consumption? Mine hasn't changed, and I've done 2100 miles already. Currently getting only 42 mpg. Mg said everything is fine with the car and has no fault.....
Ridiculous - but I was expected exactly the same answer from them.

Please get back to me

Hi,
Yes I have noticed a difference with the fuel consumption. This is because I now drive with the heating off, using the heated seats instead. After driving for 30 mins I typically get around 50/55 mpg, never exceeding 40 mph (average 17 mph). Although I drove on a duel carriage way last week and the fuel consumption seemed excessive. Don't recall the heating being on but was using the ACC/ICA, so not sure if this has an effect on the fuel.

 

[Jockster]

Since my car broke the 2,100mile mark and the temperature increased by 5"c to 9.5 or 10 I have noticed a stark improvement attaining 53.3mpg over last several varied journeys totalling 5hrs. Also there is Air Con or just heating.
Battery filling up faster and not dropping so low either hence no rev problems as it has not been exhausted. Happy Daze.

 

[DMeine]

Air conditioning is not heating. The car is heated by the combustion engine, the air conditioning runs on electricity. A device that can do both is a so-called heat pump, which works electrically and is mainly installed in plug-in and pure electric cars. In Dacia full hybrids, an electric auxiliary heater is used, which is absolutely brilliant as it means that the combustion engine is not needed to heat the interior

 

[Jockster]

Great Knowledge Ty.

 

[mick78]

Air conditioning is not heating. The car is heated by the combustion engine, the air conditioning runs on electricity. A device that can do both is a so-called heat pump, which works electrically and is mainly installed in plug-in and pure electric cars. In Dacia full hybrids, an electric auxiliary heater is used, which is absolutely brilliant as it means that the combustion engine is not needed to heat the interior

Whilst an electric heater is of great benefit, one aspect of Hybrid engines is also, that the engine should not cool down too much; And in winter, below a certain temperature, this will basically mean even in a Toyota Hybrid close to no engine shutdown. Modern fuels with ethanol content have made this even worse, as oil thinning quickly becomes a thing if the engine is only semi warm. Also the catalytic converter needs a certain temperature to work (and to comply with stricter and stricter Euro levels), which is even more relevant in non plug in cars where the testing cycle will require several engine restarts due to the very limited electric range. In various (especially earlier) plu g in hybrids the cat temperature is also a cuölpriot fo much more engine use than you would expect blow certain temperatues, even with additional cabin heaters.
I think the real benefit of the additional electric heater is in the 2-3 degrees above zero to low 10s area, where the ICE engine won't cool down that quickly when shut off but heating is still required.

 

[KAG]

My car does the exact same thing - took it back to the dealer and they had it for 2 days, said there is nothing wrong with it, they took it for a drive and didnt experience anything I described! Although they did a system update and said that might help, so lets see. However, it is horrible when it revs excessively. I can be driving at 13-16 mph (flat 20mph street) and the revs jump to 2 with very little pressure on the acceleration, it feels like it dropping and driving in neutral. On the motorway it can struggle to get speed and the revs go all the way up to 3.7!

It barely shifts into ev mode, even after a motorway drive, when I'm back at low speeds. It's not been the most enjoyable month of driving.

UPDATE

I got the car back - battery was much better after the update, but no change to the revving, so I went back straight back and took the technician for a drive. He asked me to to leave the car with them, this was last Wednesday. Annoyingly, I didn't heard from them until today (5 days) but only after I sent a very stroppy email about not contacting me, returning my call or emails.

Anyway, the update is that they are waiting for a software patch for my car, so they can run an update on the TCM (?) transition module.

 

[Jockster]

It appears that updates to one of the very many ecu's are laborious and the service centre is rarely aware of its PD numbers. PD052 is the process development that we are talking about but it means nothing to them.

 

[mcishere]

MG ZS hybrid +
Had this car 3weeks wish I never bought it. Losses power on hills over revs 5000rpm.

MG have stipulated that this engine behaviour is a characteristic of the hybrid powertrain and its interaction with the EV battery. The hybrid system is designed to seamlessly blend electric and petrol power to optimize efficiency and performance.
This can result in engine speeds that may be higher than what customers are accustomed to in traditional petrol automatic vehicles for a given road speed.
This is not a fault or malfunction of the vehicle. The engine is operating as designed within its normal parameters to deliver the intended power and efficiency benefits of the hybrid system and has no detrimental effect on the service life of the engine/vehicle.

The transmission on the Hybrid+ vehicles, unlike a traditional automatic gearbox, allows the engine to operate at its most efficient RPM range for the desired power output. This can sometimes mean the engine speed increases before a corresponding increase in road speed, leading to the perception of "high-revving." This is a normal and intended characteristic of the hybrid drivetrain.

It's like hitting a brick wall going up hill high revs no acceleration drop in speed.
Unsafe in my mind. Stay clear if you live in a hilly town countryside.

 

[Busman]

Honestly since getting PD052 update in January,my ZS Hybrid is lovely to drive.Have you asked your dealership about the update.

 

[Jockster]

You should go to the Facebook site MG zs hybrid + uk site.

 

[David38]

Mine built sept. took del'y. Nov. 2024 no updates and runs ok and very hilly here, loving it.

 

[Jockster]

Wow. Must be a mix of good and indifferent cars then. Mine did a 2hr run yesterday up and down steep long hills no real problem other than vibration on left foot but at the beginning of the journey after a short while on flat roads it had a revving fit for no good reason. Returned 61.4mpg and I do love it but I can never seem to get the blue to fill on the battery display either. Filled up today and it read 587mls.

 

[mcishere]

Honestly since getting PD052 update in January,my ZS Hybrid is lovely to drive.Have you asked your dealership about the update.

Yes asked but said no update for my car

 

[das2]

Hi, I have had my ZS Hybrid since December. Driving a 200 mile journey it managed 62 mpg, most of the journey was motorway.

Around town in the milder weather it runs extremely well. Yes I get higher revs towards the top of an incline, if I back off the accelerator it drops and then drives ok with light acceleration.

Having completed over 2000 miles across cold and milder weather the amount of time the petrol engine engages depends on the temperature, the use of lights, heating, wipers etc.

Hi my wife has bought a late 2024 mg zs hybrid trophy and can someone please tell me how to find the fuel economy meter, have hunted and hunted.
Cheers

 

[Stephen L]

Hi my wife has bought a late 2024 mg zs hybrid trophy and can someone please tell me how to find the fuel economy meter, have hunted and hunted.
Cheers

Press the button on the right of steering wheel that has 2 overlapping squares.
Scroll across to the car icon on top of screen
You can then see the recent journey mpg and if you scroll down you’ll see accumulated mpg and keep scrolling down to see energy flow and other stuff