Winter range?

[tsedge]

Hi,

I have recently ordered an MG4 EV Trophy in white, very excited even though I may have a long wait. Just wondered what sort of effect winter weather has on range with MGs specifically? I live in Torbay, so the climate is very mild, rarely get a winter day below freezing and snow only every 20 years.

Thanks,


Tom.

 

[MundaneMatt]

In my experience with a 1st Gen MG ZS EV, I had roughly a 30% reduction in range in the winter. The heater was not very efficient, and that car had a gaping grille that was no good aerodynamically - or for keeping the battery and other components warm. Down from a WLTP range of 163 miles to around 110 miles on a good day.

The MG4 is a bespoke EV and is far more aerodynamic (from what I can see) that the ZS EV and on the Long Range versions has the active grille system which should help with efficiency.

I would still expect a reduced range, but I'd estimate about a 25% reduction in the winter months, to be on the safe side. So down from 270 WLTP on your Trophy to 190 in the winter.

 

[Ron61]

Hi,

I have recently ordered an MG4 EV Trophy in white, very excited even though I may have a long wait. Just wondered what sort of effect winter weather has on range with MGs specifically? I live in Torbay, so the climate is very mild, rarely get a winter day below freezing and snow only every 20 years.

Thanks,


Tom.

See below a full years data for my MG5 with miles per kWh averages by month. I have no doubt that the MG4 will follow the same curve. Expect a fall of 30% compared to June/July/August consumption. The other major thing that will affect range is the amount of mileage you do at motorway (70mph) speeds. In the winter I would expect you to get around the 3 miles per kWh for motorway mileage.

Full years results -

September 2021 4.7
October 2021 4.5
November 2021 4.1
December 2021 4.0
January 2022 3.6
February 2022 4.1
March 2022 4.3
April 2022 4.7
May 2022 4.9
June 2022 4.6
July 2022 5.2
August 2022 5.2

Average miles per kWh 4.5
Power consumed 3,168 kW
Peak miles per kWh to trough kWh is 30%
Mileage covered 14,260

Notes

1) All figures are miles per kWh
2) June figures included long motorway journeys
3) 50% of journeys 2 people in car
4) Heater on if it's cold
5) Aircon on when its hot
6) Motorway driving at 70mph
7) All other driving at the road speed limit.
8) Motorway consumption @ 70mph 3.7
9) MG5 SR Excite
10) Driving in Eco mode with full regen

Regards,

Ron, happy motoring!

 

[MoDolph]

The answer to this depends on so many variables. 75 mph on the motorway or 40 mph on B roads? Worst case or average?

The worst consumption I ever had in my LEAF on a long journey was approx 2.2 miles/kWh. This was driving into one of the storms last year over the M62 slipstreaming lorries at 50mph in the rain.

Similar consumption in the MG4 would result in 136 miles range to empty.

 

[Alb]

MGs don't have generic Winter range so you'll have to wait and see what happens when we get a few MG4s on the road in the coming months.

 

[tsedge]

Thanks guys, lots of useful information and advice here, much appreciated.

Normal driving for me is town and country, no more than 60.

 

[Werneroeder]

Thanks guys, lots of useful information and advice here, much appreciated.

Normal driving for me is town and country, no more than 60.

Look on: Electric Vehicle Database. That will give you a good idea as well.

 

[the briggie]

Why your new EV should have a heat-pump

Clever, but expensive, tech makes for longer electric ranges

www.irishtimes.com

Also better to use heated seats and steering wheel if you have them as this draws from the 12v battery and not the hv batteries if you want to increase efficiency and range.The energy used to top up the 12v battery from the hv batteries is lower than heat pump use.

Depending on the car's spec you may be able to preheat the car and batteries whilst plugged into an active charger without drawing power from the hv batteries. Some ev's will allow remote or scheduled preheat using this method. Unfortunately my current EV draws from the batteries and not the charger so this knocks down the range.

Also a balaclava, gloves and good thick coat helps if you want maximum range

For info

 

[tsedge]

Thanks, this is helpful advice. I am fairly sure the MG4 EV does not have a heatpump, but you can't have everything at a low price. I know I could wait forever for a better/cheaper car but I am sure we can manage.

 

[JimB]

Also better to use heated seats and steering wheel if you have them as this draws from the 12v battery and not the hv batteries if you want to increase efficiency and range.The energy used to top up the 12v battery from the hv batteries is lower than heat pump.

Also a balaclava, gloves and good thick coat helps if you want maximum range

For info

Just for info - what charges the 12v battery?

 

[Cookie]

I have a Nissan Leaf 40 and in the winter it’s not good at all he’s done 117,000 miles and I’m lucky if i get 80 Miles my
red trophy arrived yesterday it should be on the road for Monday as I use it for Taxi in Plymouth

280 miles more realistically 230 that should be plenty for me

 

[the briggie]

There is an convertor that takes the hv battery power and provides 12v battery charge. No mechanical device is used.

Alan

 

[siteguru]

There is an convertor that takes the hv battery power and provides 12v battery charge. No mechanical device is used.

Alan

So either way the power comes from the HV batteries, whether directly or indirectly.

 

[the briggie]

Yip, basic understanding below

Alan

 

[JimB]

There is an convertor that takes the hv battery power and provides 12v battery charge. No mechanical device is used.

Alan

Thanks Alan, I'll admit it was a bit of a rhetorical question in relation to the suggestion that using heated seats and steering wheel only use power from the 12v battery.

As an aside, when I first got my Outlander phev 7 years ago I became rather obsessed with maximising range from its rather small drive battery but my attempts to carry out journeys in winter relying solely on heated seats met with very fast disapproval from the left hand seat.

Preheating whilst still plugged into the grid on the other hand is one very big reason to like the (finally) app equipped cars.

 

[the briggie]

EU specs show heat pump on Trophy equivalent. Now we are no longer in EU I suppose no UK guarantee

Luxury

MG4 Electric​

• Aerodynamic Dual-Spoiler
• Heat Pump
• Front Seats with Heating
• Leather Steering Wheel with Heating
• 360 camera
• Real-time Navigation
• MG Pilot with BSD/RCTA/DOW
• Wireless Charging
• Electric Driver Seat with 6-way adjustment
• Battery Charging with Pre-Heating

Alan

 

[duncerduncs]

It may more sense to offer the heat pump on the Extended Range version, thus giving over 300 mile range in Winter too.

 

[the briggie]

Unfortunately EU specs only shows it on Trophy not SE LR equivalent. This is all that is shown above standard SE spec

Comfort

MG4 Electric​

• Up to 135kW DC Charging
• Active Grille Shutter (AGS)
• V2L
• Leather Steering Wheel
• Rear privacy windows
• 17" Alloy Wheel

Alan

 

[Ron61]

It may more sense to offer the heat pump on the Extended Range version, thus giving over 300 mile range in Winter too.

You won't get over 300 miles in the winter. 190 in cold weather

EV database figures:-

MG MG4 EV Long Range

 

[the briggie]

Typically 20 to 30% hit but there are a lot of factors involved. I lost about 10% over the winter months but it was quite mild. Avoided ac heating and used heated seats (both sides) and steering wheel. Screen clearing/demisting was one of the biggest culprits of drain. Battery heating never kicked in (automatic on my car) so heat pump drain from that never happened. So don't expect heat pump alone to help with range. It is about 60% more effective that electric heater but still drains the available battery power.

Alan