Waiting for my MG5 EV, top tips & tricks about the car I should know?

[AdamMGEV]

So I should get my MG5 EV in the next few weeks. What are you top tips and tricks I should know about the car or EV in general?

 

[EWD]

So I should get my MG5 EV in the next few weeks. What are you top tips and tricks I should know about the car or EV in general?

I'd swat up on the different charging types.

Your car will come with the 13amp three pin plugged "granny" charger. It supplies about 6 miles an hour in range.

I would make sure you have a type 2 cable . You can either buy one from the dealer or buy one online. Type 2 is what you will use to charge your car most of the time. Either at home (after getting a type 2 "charger" installed) or at the shops. Type 2 supplies about 25 miles of range an hour.

CCS chargers are used on a longer journey. CCS cables are attached to the chargers so you don't need one. They can take you back to 80% charge in less than 40 minutes.

Lot's of EV chargers require an app or a card to access them. You can research and sign up to apps before you get your car. A lot of apps and cards allow you to sign up before parting with any money. You can look on zapmap (Map of charging points for electric car drivers in UK: Zap-Map) and see the different suppliers in your area.

Lastly, range is effected significantly by the weather and your driving style. If you're travelling short distances, you can drive it like you stole it but for longer journeys slower can be faster.

 

[Stuwit46]

I'd swat up on the different charging types.

View attachment 1515Your car will come with the 13amp three pin plugged "granny" charger. It supplies about 6 mile an hour in range.

View attachment 1516I would make sure you have a type 2 cable . You can either buy one from the dealer or buy one online. Type 2 is what you will use to charge your car most of the time. Either at home (after getting a type 2 "charger" installed) or at the shops. Type 2 supplies about 25 miles of range an hour.

View attachment 1517CCS chargers are used on a longer journey. CCS cables are attached to the chargers so you don't need one. They can take you back to 80% charge in less than 40 minutes.

Lot's of EV chargers require an app or a card to access them. You can research and sign up to apps before you get your car. A lot of apps and cards allow you to sign up before parting with any money. You can look on zapmap (Map of charging points for electric car drivers in UK: Zap-Map) and see the different suppliers in your area.

Lastly, range is effected significantly by the weather and your driving style. If you're travelling short distances, you can drive it like you stole it but for longer journeys slower can be faster.

If only I’d known this in December

 

[Ranger]

I got a granny and a type 2 with my MG5.

 

[EWD]

I got a granny and a type 2 with my MG5.

That was the dealer supplying the type 2 cable, rather that coming with the car. Only the granny charger comes from the factory.

 

[Fluffykins]

Charging station due diligence.

BP Pulse is supposed to be glossy but it's a nightmare.

You sign up and register through the app. The app response varies between OK-ish and Glacial, with emphasis on glacial. Once you've registered via the app, forget about checking/managing your account via a web page on a laptop. You can't sign in like that.

I'm in East Anglia and the app varies between showing (probably) all charging points in East Anglia (eventually) and absolutely none at all.

Apparently their devs are "working on it"

Caveat Emptor

 

[Ranger]

That was the dealer supplying the type 2 cable, rather that coming with the car. Only the granny charger comes from the factory.

Very nice of Chorley Burnley then.
Love this car so far, even if I've had to learn to bend/fold myself to get in. Not had a car at normal car height for a while. It's lower than my leaf and Kia Soul ev.

 

[AdamMGEV]

So yes I get the normal granny charger with car and bought the 32amp one at a cost. I've signed up to octopus and when I get it will get the octopus go tarriff. Also waiting to get a wall charger for my house fitted. So I think I'm all set. I'm just concerned and confused why some people say the car says 30% left and then it does?

 

[EWD]

So yes I get the normal granny charger with car and bought the 32amp one at a cost. I've signed up to octopus and when I get it will get the octopus go tarriff. Also waiting to get a wall charger for my house fitted. So I think I'm all set. I'm just concerned and confused why some people say the car says 30% left and then it does?

EV range caluclations are similar to MPG in petrol and diesel cars. Their claimed miles per gallon are a work of fiction. The tests are done under lab conditions. In the real world the mpg is much less.

The quoted 217 miles range is supposed to be combined city and motorway driving. This figure was under lab conditions, with no heating or cooling and few changes in speed.

Motorway driving, you could expect to get 170-185 miles of range. If the weather was really bad you could get down to 150 miles (30% less than the claimed 217 miles range).

Summer driving at slower speeds will be much closer to the claimed 217 range. In summer city driving the range could be closer to the 276 miles quoted.

You just need to factor this in.

 

[Valiant5]

EV driving overall is a different approach to motoring, particularly for longer journeys. For me, the planning ahead has always been part of the fun, working out where the stops will be, doing your homework beforehand. You don't just jump in the car and go.

Zapmap is an essential app for route planning, not only showing where all the chargers are, but which network, what the outputs are, how much to pay and other information including maps. Other users can leave comments about faulty chargers, whether they might be on free vend, if they are frequently ICEd (occupied by rogue non electric cars) and how easy difficult they are to find or park next to.

Always, always, plan for a second charge stop in case the first one is occupied or broken. Don't run the battery down too low and leave yourself with little in reserve if things go wrong. I'd aim not to go much below 20 per cent of the battery and that way you'll always have 30-40 miles in hand.

One thing you will notice is how much less tiring EVs are to drive on a long trip, without the constant drone of a petrol or diesel engine beneath the bonnet. And all in all, so cheap and clean to run, the latter being the main reason I went electric

 

[Petriix]

We found the range at 70-75mph and 10 degrees to be around 165 miles. The recent freezing weather had a real impact with 150 being more realistic. I expect the range to really improve on dry summer days and 200 miles to be easily achievable if you drive below 65mph.

It's worth familiarising yourself with rapid charging before you actually need it. I used a Podpoint rapid yesterday which had a blank screen and failed to start on the first attempt. Many people would have assumed it wasn't working, but I just tried again and heard the familiar sequence of clicks and clunks from both the charger and car. If in doubt, try again in a slightly different sequence.

 

[AdamMGEV]

We found the range at 70-75mph and 10 degrees to be around 165 miles. The recent freezing weather had a real impact with 150 being more realistic. I expect the range to really improve on dry summer days and 200 miles to be easily achievable if you drive below 65mph.

It's worth familiarising yourself with rapid charging before you actually need it. I used a Podpoint rapid yesterday which had a blank screen and failed to start on the first attempt. Many people would have assumed it wasn't working, but I just tried again and heard the familiar sequence of clicks and clunks from both the charger and car. If in doubt, try again in a slightly different sequence.

Thanks its useful to see what people say in terms of range. I used to do a lot of motorway driving until I started working from home. But if i need to start that again it's good to understand the real range and how easy it is to charge. Don't want to brake down with my family.

 

[Mr C]

So I should get my MG5 EV in the next few weeks. What are you top tips and tricks I should know about the car or EV in general?

You are in the right place for your information, read through the forum threads, a lot of useful information. Watch the YouTube Monday night Podcasts and there is all the MG EV reviews to watch.

Hope this helps

 

[ApRhy5]

A lot of people get anxious about new things. I've seen plenty of new drivers who were nervous about using petrol stations. Once they'd filled their car a few times it became second nature and the same is true for EV charging. Some of the apps are a bit awkward but if you've found your way to this forum you are likely to be savvy enough to deal with them. Newer rapid charge units often now have a pay by debit or credit card option which is easier to use than pay at pump in supermarkets so it is improving all the time.

 

[ApRhy5]

I should have added that most EV drivers are friendly and helpful so if they see someone struggling with a charger they are very likely to stop by and try to help.

 

[RossN]

I should have added that most EV drivers are friendly and helpful so if they see someone struggling with a charger they are very likely to stop by and try to help.

I did exactly that today...its what you do.