Following Lygonos' mention of the MG5 in a different thread, I took one out for a couple of hours yesterday and paid the deposit when I got back. I went for the top of the (rather small) range, but prices have gone up since that post - OTR price is about £29k.
I've paid a £500 fully refundable deposit, which secures the price, the govt grant and a car (they thought by late Nov). Warranty is 7 years and the salesperson mentioned a service plan she thought was somewhere around £10 a month for 10k miles, which I could buy for up to 5 years.
The car felt really very quick, more so than my current Ampera which is quick enough. It handled pretty well and while the range isn't great ( think they reckon 250 miles overall, 330 in city) , neither is it a top dollar car.
I think EVs will hold a second hand value quite well, despite rapid developments in their design. It has a few toys but not overloaded. Overall I was quite impressed, as was a petrol head mate who I picked up for a spin - so much that he is going to try one out too.
I've never owned an estate before and although it's physically bigger than my daily needs, we have a few ideas for extended motoring holidays over the next few years, health wealth and Covid permitting, for which it will be ideal (but I do hope they continue to improve public charging).
However I may still change my mind....
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If I was going for an electric car, I would go for one thats designed as one, not an ICE designed car thats been modified, with all the subsequent compromises.
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I get what you're saying, but in EV world it's quite a bit of car for the money. I'm not suggesting it's a perfect car or fantastic drive but it seemed pretty good, and I'm not sure I noticed any concerning compromises during the 2 hour drive.
There is a dedicated forum which I am going to have a good read of, though a quick skim didn't throw up any real nasties.
The best bit is I don't have to commit until the very last minute.
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Been looking for a replacement car for wife and curiously wandered into an MG dealer. She is more interested in MG3 not MG5 EV so somewhat different price bracket.
They do provide a lot for the money but I came away with concerns:
- will they still be here to honour thier warranty in 7 years time,
- quality of the finish was obviously lacking (paint, trim etc) compared to main brands
- technology is conventional rather than advanced (could also be a benefit!)
I came away with the feeling that MG may be where the Korean manufacturers were 12-15 years ago - ticking lots of boxes for kit and gizmos, very good value, but yet to match the majors in quality, driving experience and finish.
Depreciation is an unknown - but I suspect it will be high for the first few years. So perhaps a long term purchase rather than trade in after a couple of years!
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Nice colour that one…a bit like the old Rover Nightfire red!
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A colleague ordered (an ICE) MG5 at the start of this year. They've missed many promised delivery dates.
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Of limited relevance I guess, but in Chile MGs are well thought of and well supported.
And I like them, which is what really matters.
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I must admit it didn't initially really grab me in terms of looks but as a package at that price it seems pretty good.
Sales person called today, I now have detail of 0% PC deal which may be of interest, only because I can keep my money longer and have it earning for me for longer :-)
I am still not entirely committed mentally, and I don't have to commit physically till sometime in November,.
And I can put my car on Autotrader at top price and see if I get any nibbles. I am in no rush. Missed dates wouldn't be a problem.
EDIT: and a better look at the forums has thrown up no real concerns, apart from the usual that the range might be overstated - but being an EV driver I understand how to manage that better than people going straight from ICE to EV. In my experience all manufacturers overstate their economy figures.
Last edited by: smokie on Wed 8 Sep 21 at 23:43
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Here's a half-decent review of the, um, Lancer EV. Not the sharpest looker but, it's growing on me:
youtu.be/277EwXx0mhk
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Thanks for that Dog, pleased that it didn't uncover any nasties - his conclusion was not dissimilar to mine above really.
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The Fully Charged channel on You Tube has a couple of good reviews as well.
If nothing else, watching Kryten from Red Dwarf is usually entertaining.
youtu.be/doo6UWrOaFs
youtu.be/YnTlQW57lUg
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Thanks, I think I am sold on the car but the difficulty is going to be getting rid of the old one. I've enjoyed being part of a fairly excusive "club" of only c 1200 UK owners and tbh the car covers all the local pottering around electrically anyway. It's a bit of a looker and I'm finding it hard to imagine life without it (well, that's overdramatising it somewhat but you know what I mean!)
The Good Thing is that it seems to have held it's value quite well. WBAC offered £8500 but based on cars which have sold through Autotrader recently I think it should comfortably achieve £10k and possibly £11k even on a private sale. Not bad as I paid about £13k for it three years ago. it is relatively low mileage (55k on a 15 plate) and still has about a year of battery warranty, which many don't. though there is evidence of batteries lasting well into the 100ks without degradation. It also has full Vx service history.
Having watched those reviews I feel the MG may also keep it's value reasonably as it is allegedly the first proper estate EV, which would be an important factor for many future purchasers. But tbh with it's 7 year warranty I don't think I'll be in any rush to move it on.
Last edited by: smokie on Thu 9 Sep 21 at 11:08
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MG5 comes in 2 different battery sizes just now - the standard 52kWh, and the new 'long range' 61kWh version.
Although the long range costs ~£1500 more, it has more range (obviously) and also MG's autopilot kit. This reduces the insurance group by 5 places as it includes auto-braking and so forth.
Also, if you are/have been/are a close relative of a public service worker you can get the 'Affinity' price which includes metallic and a type-2 charging cable.
This is bottom dollar pricing so it is not available with 0% or other incentives.
Many will find a 3% bank loan and the Affinity price is cheaper than the dealer's offerings.
It does look like a pretty decent 'cheap' EV - visually like a slightly frumpy Subaru Outback.
Has been on the go for a few years in China as the Roewe Ei5 with no reliability issues I am aware of.
www.fraserscars.co.uk/contents/mg-affinity
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Affinity would save me a useful approx £5k. Daughter is a nurse. However some of the conditions are:
"4. Available to staff and immediate family only (including partners and children). Limited to 2x vehicles per Affinity driver during a 12 month period - for any additional vehicle during this timeframe, prior approval will be required by the MG Fleet Team.
"5. A form of ID must be taken from the Affinity driver as proof of employment, this can either be a copy of a payslip within the last 3 months or empolyee ID card. This must remain on file for future audit purposes.
"6. The vehicle is to be owned and registered to the Affinity member for a minimum holding period of 6 months. The vehicle must be registered directly to the end user and is not permitted to be registered to any other party i.e. as a demonstrator before selling to the end user."
So I'm not sure I can do it.
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Been looking at the vids and reading some of the reports, there's a dealer 6 miles away. It would certainly be somethng I would consider.
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If you don't qualify for Affinity it can give you an idea of margins the dealer may have to play with (either discount or 0% finance which is worth at least a couple of grand in itself over 3 years).
The Affinity price for the ZS EV is pretty much the same price I paid last year as an early order so it is ultimately seems to be the lowest deal available.
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The V60 came on Volvo's Affinty scheme, linked to 0% finance and 2.5k desposit discount, it was a no brainer to have it on 2 yrs finance.
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Seems that with a daughter who works for the NHS I do qualify, and it looks like a saving of probably £2.5k, so thanks for the heads up!!
(I called a different dealership to check eligibility - he said all that's needed is an NHS photo ID - then mailed my dealership to ask for a revised quote)
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>>
>> So I'm not sure I can do it.
>>
No reason why you should, is there?
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If you do go for the car, just bear in mind that the ‘roof rails’ are purely decorative on these and cannot take any load - bizarre, but that’s Chinese design for you!
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>>If you do go for the car, just bear in mind that the ‘roof rails’ are purely decorative on these and cannot take any load - bizarre, but that’s Chinese design for you!
On the standard car the rails can carry 35kg (effectively 1 bike on a rack) - this took about 6 months to get certified!
On the long range they have been engineered properly and can carry 75kg.
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Thanks, not really likely in my case though
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f you do go for the car, just bear in mind that the 'roof rails' are purely decorative on these and cannot take any load - bizarre, but that's Chinese design for you!
According to another website they've been type aproved for the UK and EU now
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A '21' plate one of these parked up next to me today and shared the PodPoint charger with me at the local Tesco.
I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that, but I couldn't help thinking MG have missed a trick with the styling. They could've made a big thing of it currently being the only EV estate available and made it desirable looking too.
Plugged in, there was a 68 plate Golf GTE, a 19 plate Leaf, this MG and my 70 plate. The MG looked by far like the oldest car there.
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They could've made a
>> big thing of it currently being the only EV estate available and made it desirable
>> looking too.
Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo is an estate I think....not particularly cavernous, but if I opened my garage door tomorrow and it had replaced the Focus estate I wouldn’t be too disappointed.
Not disappointed at all. C’mon Ernie do your stuff.
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>> Plugged in, there was a 68 plate Golf GTE, a 19 plate Leaf, this MG
>> and my 70 plate. The MG looked by far like the oldest car there.
Thats because it is. Its an ageing Chinese wagon.
Now this
www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5ihLUkjo74
is how an EV should look. (sorry its the t*** from carwow)
Last edited by: Zero on Thu 9 Sep 21 at 21:58
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Oo yes. I do like the Kia.
I didn't realise the MG was an existing model, I just thought they'd badly designed a new EV.
I'm looking forward to seeing what's available when it comes to replacement for my Model 3 in 2023.
Last edited by: Dieselboy on Thu 9 Sep 21 at 22:21
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I'm not excited about owning the newest or prettiest in the neighbourhood, I've got nothing to prove to anyone. It's only a car at the end of the day, it won't get used that much so I don't especially want to spend upwards of £40k on one.
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Suburus are nothing to look at, but they drive pretty well, which is why I've owned 2 of them.
And after all, you only see one windscreen wiper and the top of the steering wheel when you're driving 'em.
:o}
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On another tack, VX (read GM in Europe) made an awful cock up over the Ampera. At the point the Ampera came out, they were pretty much at the forefront of EV technology. They could, with some foresight have used the intervening years to become the market leader with tech, support, and sales. Instead they chucked it all down the pan, and are now well behind in catchup mode
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Yep, though it was mainly a UK phenomenon really - Vx, and to a lesser extent Opel across Europe, simply didn't believe in it I suppose, whereas the US sold the Volt in quite reasonable quantities, and had a more recent version which never even came over here.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Volt
They are quite sought-after as you have a reasonable range with no anxiety - as I've mentioned before a large portion of my routine motoring these days is within the 35 - 40 mile fully electric range, and I expect that is true for many. it's also a great commuting car if your commute is within range. A full charge at home costs me about 70p so much cheaper than dino juice.
Last edited by: smokie on Fri 10 Sep 21 at 10:32
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Given that, and that you say its still worth 10k, why are you selling it at all?
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"why are you selling it at all?"
I fancy a change, and the Ampera still has enough of it's electrical drivetrain warranty left that will be attractive to buyers.
Hard decision though as I am sure the Ampera will last a long long time yet without major probs (though it is quite hard to get it serviced - I have to go about 45 miles to Oxfordshire for each service - and I suppose if they went the next nearest is somewhere in London).
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>> I have to go about 45 miles to Oxfordshire for each service - and I suppose if they went ..
Hopefully not, as I use the same garage that you do.
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But I think only one of their team is EV trained.
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Doesn't surprise me in the slightest.
Before air con became common place, they only had one guy there who was trained.
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Well that's one more than all the Vx dealers between me and Wantage.
There is an independent EV specialist group forming, HEVRA. Not read much about it yet as I'm sticking with main dealer for now.
Some "old skool" mechanics won't touch EVs, as I found out when I had to get the rear pads replaced.
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Cleevely Motors seem quite highly regarded.
Based in Gloucestershire but I think they do mobile EV servicing further afield (James Coates from the 'James & Kate' youtube channel is their servicing director I believe)
www.cleevelyev.co.uk/
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"I'm not excited about owning the newest or prettiest in the neighbourhood"
Fair enough. If we were all the same life would be boring wouldn't it?
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>> "I'm not excited about owning the newest or prettiest in the neighbourhood"
>>
>> Fair enough.
But what about your car choice?
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>> f you do go for the car, just bear in mind that the 'roof rails'
>> are purely decorative on these and cannot take any load - bizarre, but that's Chinese
>> design for you!
>>
>> According to another website they've been type aproved for the UK and EU now
>>
That's good to hear.
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But not as good to hear as a V8 or flat 6.
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I picked it up on Friday. I did get the Affinity price which made it ridiculously cheap -0 a little over £24k for a full size EV. Maybe not the best looking or the best equipped but it gets me from A to B, or even C for next to nothing and I'm not overly image conscious (before you say it - obviously!!). It's roomy enough, got some nice toys, and first service will be below £50.
I would say, what's not to like but that'd start Zero etc off again :-)
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>> I would say, what's not to like but that'd start Zero etc off again :-)
>>
I hope, and expect, that you will enjoy ownership.
I’m seriously thinking of selling my Focus Active Estate whilst prices are firm, getting an old diesel estate, and looking around for an old flat 6 to enjoy whilst I still can. I know a chap with two of them, and providing you get the right model, I’m told they are very reliable.
It’s food for thought
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How do you find the performance? I suspect it has more than is good for the OEM tyres.
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Certainly very quick across the scale. My old one was quick off the mark but didn't have the same oomph when at, say, 50 (it was good but not this good!!). And I've only driven in Eco!
They have just started a recall because when you run in max KERS mode the braking was pretty severe and the brake lights didn't light up. Someone on the forum raised it with MG UK and the KERS braking is sufficiently fierce that brake lights are a requirement. It was just a software update, which I expect mine got in PDI.
Not worked out economy yet but it'll be in the usual range according to others on a forum, dependent on the usual factors.
People say the headlights are a bit on the dim side but they looked OK to me, and anyway I don't do a lot of night driving.
Certainly is a lot of car for your money, compared to other EVs at the same price.
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In my case I'm not so much image conscious, but the thing has to look pretty good if um gonna see it every day.
I could live with the updated version, but not the one presently on offer.
I'm the same with MPG, I'd rather own my 2 litre automatic Subaru, than any 1.2 litre buzz box.
ditto property - I'd rather live in this energy inefficient 90+ year-old property, than some bland and boring energy efficient new build.
It takes all sorts ...
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>> I picked it up on Friday. I did get the Affinity price which made it
>> ridiculously cheap -0 a little over £24k for a full size EV. Maybe not the
>> best looking or the best equipped but it gets me from A to B, or
>> even C for next to nothing and I'm not overly image conscious (before you say
>> it - obviously!!). It's roomy enough, got some nice toys, and first service will be
>> below £50.
Its Ok, no need to apologise, we know your investments have bombed of late and your energy bonus ponzi scheme has tanked, we appreciate you cant afford much in the way of quality and class, and as far as image goes does such a thing exist in Wokingham?
Enjoy
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>>Maybe not the
>> best looking or the best equipped
Dunno about the equipment levels but I quite like the way it looks.
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Out of curiosity Smokie, if you are replacing the Ampera I assume you didn’t “need” an estate. What directed you to the MG rather than a used Leaf? I see there are top of the range Tekna 20 plates for about £27k?
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Leafs are smaller and have a much lower range. And they aren't that rare, unlike the MG5 EV is just now (though not for long, I suspect - I've only found people praising it on various forums).
Must admit I'd thought for ages my next car change would be to a 2nd hand Tesla, ideally not a Model 3, sometime in my life. I'd only heard of the MG5 from Lygonos here and really only booked the MG5 test drive out of interest.
But I liked the way it drove and more to the point the costs are really quite low, both the running cost and purchase cost, and I felt if I'm going to change it, it was probably the more sensible car of the two.
Mind you, while I'm thinking it is probably my car for the next 7 warrantied years, if my driving habits change much (to more miles) there's nothing to say I won't change again. If/when I do, from today's crop the Polestar looks nice...
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>>If/when I do, from today's crop the Polestar looks nice...>>
For me, it was a choice of the Polestar, or a Model 3. The Polestar is a fine looking beast, IMHO.
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>> Leafs are smaller and have a much lower range. And they aren't that rare, unlike
>> the MG5 EV is just now (though not for long, I suspect - I've only
>> found people praising it on various forums).
I'm sorry, knowing I had to be mixing it with Tesla's, Polestars, E-trons at the leccy pole, I'd have to climb out my MG5-EV with a disguise, lest anyone recognise me
Its like having Quasimodo on a Paris model catwalk
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Didn't seem to bother you when you had the Lancer. Or maybe it did and you were just toughing it out?
;-)
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> Didn't seem to bother you when you had the Lancer. Or maybe it did and
> you were just toughing it out?
> ;-)
Nah, he's just got the hump.
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>>Nah, he's just got the hump
Or he's just bad inside.
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>> Didn't seem to bother you when you had the Lancer. Or maybe it did and
>> you were just toughing it out?
>> ;-)
I didn't have to mix it with the teslas, e-paces, e-trons, I-oniqs, polestars etc etc.
I just parked it next to MB E class estates, same number of cylinders and all that.
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With the 'van still attached?
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>> I just parked it next to MB E class estates, same number of cylinders and
all that.
Four wheels each too, makes them almost indistinguishable really.
;-)
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>>Four wheels each too
I understood that some of them have very slightly less than 4 complete wheels.
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One thing that you notice whenever you go from driving an EV back to an ICE is the need for a gearbox.
No matter how brilliant a cog-swapper is, DCT or ZF8 included (though having 300+bhp and 6+ cylinders is a satisfactory compensation), it isn't as good as no gears at all.
Being able to modulate regeneration is better than engine braking too.
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These MGs kind of remind me of when Daewoo cars hit the market in the 80s with their rebranded last model Vauxhalls but at decent prices. They didn't last long!
I occasionally have a play with the autotrader filters to see what electric or hybrid car I could get for my usual car budget of around £20k. I reckon:
80% of my journeys are less than 30 miles round trip
10% are less than 50 miles round trip
5% are less than 150 miles round trip
5% are more than 150 miles round trip
So with my liking for an SUV type cars, currently the Kia Niro PHEV is pretty much the only car that would fit the criteria to cater for 80% of my journeys - the BMW 225XE would maybe also do it.
Hopefully I will have my X1 for at least under 3 years and I reckon in that time there should be a big change in the electic and PHEV market.
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My ZS would cover 90% of your journeys (95% in summer).
Ir has depreciated 3 grand in 2 years/24k miles.
An MG5 long range could possibly cover close to 100% of your journeys without a need to recharge.
If you are a one-car household I could see the desire for a PHEV.
I certainly wouldn't overlook MG's HS PHEV - 30-35 EV miles and 260bhp (albeit FWD) for well under 30 grand.
If you are a 2 car household I would pretty much recommend an EV.
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We are a 2 car household - missus has a modern Beetle. In an ideal world , she would have a full electic car. Couldn't tell you the last time her car did more than 30 miles in a day. Three days of the week she has a 5 mile each way commute. The other 4 days of the week usually invove the local shops or taking the dog to the park. Occasionally it gets a longer run if I decide to take it instead of my X1 , purely to stretch the Beetle's legs and let the engine heat up properly!
Gonna have a nopsey at your ZS - whats the top trim of that ? Exclusive? I like to have a lot of toys on my car...
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Don't be surprised if you get an EV as a 'runabout' and then find it is doing the lion's share of family mileage!
The more EV miles you do the more you save.
For the ZS, Exclusive adds heated fake leather, folding and heated mirrors, a rear camera, rear speakers (Excite has 2 front and 2 tweeters), rear cross traffic and blind spot monitors, and a mahoosive tilt/slide sunroof with electric blind, and roofrails that can carry 75kg for 2 grand. All ZS models come with Apple/Android, crapnav, MG Pilot and radar cruise. None are homologated to tow.
I saved the 2 grand and only really miss the heated mirrors in winter!
Last edited by: Lygonos on Sun 12 Sep 21 at 21:56
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but no front parking sensors... and seriously, I assumed all electric cars would have had pre heating / cooling but this doesn't? Thought that was one of the big benefits of electric cars?
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Square fronted - haven't even vaguely missed front sensors.
Heating/cooling is an interesting one and an oft mentioned omission except by owners - had it on the B250e and was handy on a frozen morning but the ZS has a pretty potent PTC heater (5-6kW) and takes under 2 minutes to defrost a thoroughly frozen car.
There is no app either but I treat it as a car not a phone.
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>> There is no app either but I treat it as a car not a phone.
>>
Wossat mean?
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>> Wossat mean?
Most EVs have an app you can have on your phone that can give you data about state of charge (can be useful to know if it has finished charging), the car itself (eg tyre pressures via TPMS), its location, and sometimes also control functions such as turning on the AC/heater before you get to the car.
It is possible to use an aftermarket plug-in device to perform much of this though it costs a couple of hundred notes and needs a little bit of tech savvy to set up - have a look:
shop.openenergymonitor.com/open-vehicle-monitoring-system-ovms-wifi-3g-europe-sim-ant-included/
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Ah, I would definitely want the app as well!
Slowly building the requirements for my EV of the future!
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While I like bells and whistles I do get the feeling that they are more important to some than others. Certainly a lot of them are nice-to-have these days but surely something like front sensors or an app is something you've managed without for many years, presumably without too many mishaps, so you ought to prioritise based on your needs (cost, range, size etc etc) rather than what fancy but often pretty pointless gadgets are car has.
A mate ended up with a Focus with the option which parks your car for you. Probably a quite expensive option which he enjoyed showing off once or twice but now freely admits turned out to be not as good as he was at parking a car.
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At extremes people fall into two categories - technophobes and and technophiles.
The former are uninterested in that which functionally exceeds their obvious needs. They are late adopters (if ever), typically when the price of technology has fallen to trivial levels. Any complexity is just more to go wrong!
The latter like feel inadequate if they are unable to master every new app, gizmo, or new development. They are prepared to pay a premium to stay ahead of their like minded friends. They convince themselves that every enhancement will make them a more capable motorist.
Then there are those who sit in the middle (like me). My car has voice control - apparently as I have never bothered to try it. I still believe it possible to stretch out a finger and press a button.
It also has a built in sat-nav with traffic updates - brilliant piece of kit and a massive improvement over my previous car. Front and rear parking sensors also great - but I feel no urge to upgrade to a camera!
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I had a test drive of a Corolls GR Sports last week. That had heads up display - now that is some clever kit!
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Sorry couldn't find the EV thread...
This has just popped up in my YT recommendations...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gg5MdeC6qzI
Well I didn't know you should be running specific tyres on an EV.
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Its complete cobblers. A marketing twist.
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If you care about handling, comfort, and efficiency don't stick 22" wheels on your EV monstertruck.
Tesla's own marketing bumf suggested putting their 22" wheels on Model X would mean 10-15% less range over the standard 20" alloys (not sure which tyre brands they were using at the time).
For 4 grand.
Sign me up...
The ZS comes with Michelin Primacy 3 ST as standard - ST are reduced sound tyres that I believe are hard to get in the UK.
Here's some real marketing flannel about them:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=73EZoPxe2VI
I'll probably go with Primacy 4 when I need new rubber.
Last edited by: Lygonos on Wed 15 Sep 21 at 00:48
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I've been offered >£23k for the Diesel MHEV that I purchased for £20k in March 21.
I'm almost tempted to swap it for the MG5 EV plus a little extra £££. It's an awful lot of car for the money.
I say almost. 400 mile range in winter, fast charging and a higher ride height (similar to the Tucson) for £25k and I will jump.
400 miles would get me to Manchester (just under 300 from home) with some to spare to get me to a client the next day to re-charge (if the hotel didn't have a charger) and if I couldn't then the fast charge would give me 70 or so miles to find an EV filling station.
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400 mile range in winter, fast charging and a higher ride height
??
Could not find this in the MG5 EV home page?
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>> 400 mile range in winter, fast charging and a higher ride height
>>
>> ??
>>
>> Could not find this in the MG5 EV home page?
>>
I think he means if it had a 400 miles range, then he'd be interested.
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I think there's only one car that does over 400 miles on a charge, a tesla. And there are really expensive.
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A real 400 mile range, 30 minutes recharge and the ability to tow 1500 kilos is my sweet spot for jumping to EV
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What's the score with towing for EVs right now? Are many cleared to tow any real sort of weight?
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Weight is an issue for some, due to initial current draw, but that's easily fixed. The real issue is battery location, they are usually in the boot floor, where you would mount the tow bar, also in the event of a rear crash the tow bar mount may puncture the battery pack and you'll have a runaway lithium fire before you can say brigade
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I do remember that towing was an issue with EVs, although the pick up EVs in the US can tow a fair bit now. I guess they've got more space to shuffle things around. I think it was Reventon or something similar that were new to the market. I watched a couple of their videos on YT, the chief designer was a British chap. Looked pretty impressive to me.
Not sure how long it'll be before we see EV cars with the ability to tow something meaningful.
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I guess there 'might' be an issue with insurance if new EV's are supplied with EV spec tyres but owners decide to do their own thing?
I say this 'tongue-in-cheek' as it's a point often raised over in 'the other place'.
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>> I guess there 'might' be an issue with insurance if new EV's are supplied with
>> EV spec tyres but owners decide to do their own thing?
My car came form the factory with sound reducing tyres, though I only found that out when I had one replaced, and I’d ordered a non sound reducing version of the same tyre. Can’t say it’s made any difference…
Last edited by: VxFan on Thu 16 Sep 21 at 02:44
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youtu.be/6Q6arK1vluI
A carwow video of a Tesla and Audi RS E-tron from Scotland to London. Not a bad watch.
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>> youtu.be/6Q6arK1vluI
>> A carwow video of a Tesla and Audi RS E-tron from Scotland to London. Not
>> a bad watch.
>>
The presenter's giggly style is irritating.
Why does it have to be a "race"? Does he think we are nine year olds?
Why are there such differences in the efficiencies of the two cars?
How much did it cost to charge the cars? A comparison between the costs of EV and ICE would have been interesting.
Apart from that, it was mildly interesting.
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Yes... that Audi RS e-tron GT is what an EV should look like, sign me up or a Taycan Turbo S... if only........
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Latest updated ZS EV is imminent - details embargoed... but appears to be 75+kWh battery and ~300 miles range with more equipment (inc LED lights, 360º camera, fog lights) - prices unknown but guessing will be close to the £30k mark after MG & dealer incentives.
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I read that the other day somewhere but was slated for "sometime in 2022", and you can't wait forever as there'll always be something better just around the corner...
To finish the Affinity discussion, the cost of the car took the price from £28190 down to £24557, and that's with the expensive red paint and a charging lead (as well as granny charger). Big saving, thanks.
Also sold the Ampera at a good but fair price so cost to change not really very high. I saw an ad for a new Kia yesterday which looked nice enough but the cheapest model was £41k +!!
For any who don't know, the MG EV has been around in China for some time as the Roewe Ei5.
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Sat in an MG5 last week, tempted by the low Affinity price and potential good 2nd hand price for my ZS.
Just a wee bit too tight in the back with the driver's seat set for me.
Awaiting the ZS. MG has some in the country and has shown them to some dealers.
Expect deliveries will be 2-3 months after order books open, but they may have a stash on its way on a big boat as they did with the LR MG5.
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Walking with a group of friends yesterday, one of them told me that he’s just ordered a VW ID3. Delivery December. He’s part/ex his, so far, reliable Yeti 2.0 Tdi 4x4.
I’d never heard of the ID3, and when I Googled it last night seems that it is available in various forms. Not cheap either.
The thing that surprised me most with his decision to go down the EV route in that he has no means of charging it at home...he has roadside parking and cannot always park outside his own terraced property.
He’s confident that the two charging places in the small town where he lives will be sufficient, otherwise it’s an extension lead across the pavement and a 3 pin plug.
I’ll await the results of his decision with interest
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As you may know, I'm now working at an MG dealer - I'm not involved in fixing or selling the cars, but I do move them between the compound and the showroom and I've had some good conversations with our sales guy. The MG5 SW EV is still the hot ticket, we haven't had any stock examples yet as they're all sold before they arrive in the country.
MG's annual sales figures have increased year-on-year and there are now some 90 dealerships around the country. I'm pretty confident the marque will still be around to honour the 7 year warranties.
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They seems to have a solid supply of semiconductors and a product at a price people are willing to pay.
Don't suppose you've seen the updated ZS yet Dave_?
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I've been told SAIC make their own semiconductors, which would explain why there's no shortage of the cars :)
I haven't seen an updated ZS EV yet, there are still hordes of pre-facelift ones coming off the boat. The petrol ZS had a mild facelift last year, they're also selling well. TBH everything is, there isn't a really bad car in the range since they binned the GS and the 6.
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Smokie/Dave_, if you have nowt better to do there might be some info dropped in this interview tomorrow - I'm pretty sure details on the latest EVs are embargoed, and I know some dealers have already seen the latest ZSEV in the flesh so perhaps it's about to be unveiled.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nA1WNHxZfCg
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Ta, will take a look once it's released. But having sold the Ampera I'm fairly committed to whatever is on the slow boat from China with my name on it!
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I see quite a few MG5 EV Estates in Central London these days, all with the tell-tale minicab licences in the top left hand corner of the rear windows.
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Limited details - pricing to be released 1st November, suspect after special offers etc will be in the £28-29k park.
www.autoexpress.co.uk/mg/zs/356246/mg-zs-ev-given-significant-update-2021-273-mile-range
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Well its distinctive in a "someone nutted me and broke my nose" kinda way.
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Agree not the prettiest of designs.
Looks like a deformed Kona (the car, not the Eastern European body part with the same name)
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The Marvel R looks quite appealing with lots of gadgets!
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Now this really tweaks my techno whiskers and gets electrons flowing in a good way.
www.autoexpress.co.uk/bmw/ix/356155/new-bmw-ix-2021-review-pictures
380 miles range is starting to get to the sweet spot.
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>>www.autoexpress.co.uk/bmw/ix/356155/new-bmw-ix-2021-review-pictures
That face is fugly - looks like it was beaten like a ginger step-child
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>>looks like it was beaten like a ginger step-child
Wiv an Allagro steering wheel.
:o}
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Recent BMs are uniformly hideous.
I have been wondering why BMW's kidney grille has evolved into a pair of buttocks Or their offal-focused thinking has shifted towards the male gonads. I never thought I would prefer the looks of a Mitsubishi Outlander to a BMW.
I actually liked the cars of the Bangle era. He's not impressed either.
www.motor1.com/news/180766/bmw-design-criticized-chris-bangle/
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I know it's the annoying guy - but here's a review of the iX
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoWqeaNMJOM
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£70,000-£95,000, establishing this car as jewellery that also functions as transport.
As Loyd Grossperson might say, who drives a car like this? The review for the Kia EV6 auto-played afterwards, looks better, literally, for half the price.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5ihLUkjo74
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>>The Marvel R looks quite appealing with lots of gadgets!
Top spec variant has 2 rear motors and 1 front, and does 0-60 in 4.8s apparently.
No plans to bring to UK though is available on the continent.
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The Marvel range or just that top spec one?
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Various concept EV coupes have been shown by MG but this looks eminently producible - the wacky body panels and scissor doors of earlier concepts have been ditched.
mg.co.uk/files/2017-04-16/concept-3-960.jpg
Have also seen a similar shape with a 'droop snoot' type nose rather than a grille.
There was word last year of an end-21 release but I suspect it is shelved for now.
Last edited by: Lygonos on Fri 8 Oct 21 at 11:36
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Found the newer render:
www.autocar.co.uk/sites/autocar.co.uk/files/images/car-reviews/first-drives/legacy/11-mg-emotion-render.jpg
Looks like the useless rear seats have been ditched, but that looks like a CAD pic rather than a physical car.
Last edited by: Lygonos on Fri 8 Oct 21 at 11:42
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Quite apart from the BMW iX being uglier than the ugliest ginger step-child, I cannot fathom how they can build such an enormous 'family' car with a boot of just 500l and no front boot??
Last edited by: Boxsterboy on Thu 14 Oct 21 at 14:27
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Pulling the trigger on a replacement for my MG ZS EV.
A 73kWh ZS EV - From under £25k from www.new-car-discount.com
273 mile WLTP, so expecting 260-300 summer miles to 180-200 winter miles in mixed driving.
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if I get another cancer diagnosis, I am coming up to you for my life expectancy consultation.
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Ha ha - just going from what I currently get from a 163 mile WLTP car - 160-180 in summer, 110-130 winter roughly.
At 70-75mph in freezing wet it is more like 100 miles though.
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That actually looks quite alright Lygonos.
What’s the difference between Trophy and Trophy connect? I can’t find anything?
Why are there so much savings on these from the broker at this stage of electric boom, chip shortages etc?
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Trophy?
Its bad enough that these shopping trolleys are called MG, but to add the name trophy to the range?
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>>What's the difference between Trophy and Trophy connect? I can't find anything?
No idea - I think is something to do with Wifi but all versions can have over-the-air updates and a phone app. Looks like you get Amazon link...
Got my order in at original price - now a few hundred more from the broker.
(Amateurish!) Model run through by some Northern dealer:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fia4v6ZyX4M
Last edited by: Lygonos on Tue 23 Nov 21 at 21:27
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Cheers, interesting video and car.
Raises a lot of questions !
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We had our first delivery of a new-shape ZS EV this afternoon. I haven't had a proper look round it yet, but it's got a 4-light charge level indicator next to the plug on the front, which is rather cool. Happy to have a nose later this week and answer any questions from the panel.
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Is the front really designed with hundreds of little sunken grooves?
Would love to see you trying to clean that after a long drive through Scotland in midge season!
I know it’s personal choice, but would much prefer front sensors to a front camera.
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Just a heads-up if anyone is sniffing around a new EV - I'm biased but I can't complain about the VFM proposition from MG.
Much cheapness from www.new-car-discount.com
61kWh small estate (250 mile WLTP):
MG5 LR Excite - £22,325
MG5 LR Exclusive -£24,014
73kWh small SUV (273 mile WLTP):
ZS LR SE - £24,225
ZS LR Trophy - £26,650
ZS LR T/Cnct - £27,009
Bought my Shogun from the same broker back in 2010 so have gone again with them.
One of the head honchos of MG was saying prices are going up in January and expects all manufacturers to be doing the same, passing along the increases in transport/components.
youtu.be/nA1WNHxZfCg?t=1744
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MG5 LR Excite? Blimey thats pushing the boundaries of expectation.
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>>MG5 LR Excite? Blimey thats pushing the boundaries of expectation.
Greasy winter road, eco-Bridgestone tyres, 156bhp.... better be wearing your brown trousers....
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Still no stunner but a lot less "Lancer".
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In typical Chinese fashion they have stolen a design cue from the new Hyundai and slapped it willy nilly on without changing anything else. Looks like someone welded the front of a 2022 car to the back of a 1985 car.
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And in typical BMW fashion, let's see what a beaver's face looks like while having a pineapple rammed up its bum.
cdn.bmwblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/2022-bmw-ix-exterior-42.jpg
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>> And in typical BMW fashion, let's see what a beaver's face looks like while having
>> a pineapple rammed up its bum.
>>
>> cdn.bmwblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/2022-bmw-ix-exterior-42.jpg
No thats a unified modern flowing crap look from back to front, not a compilation mishmash of others mistakes. Although it has to be said, Bangles efforts have survived and improved over the test of time, so who the hell knows.
Last edited by: Zero on Sat 4 Dec 21 at 17:20
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Seriously ugly. Awful even.
BMW 3 CSL still takes some beating...a proper good looking front end.
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It may well be being seen as a problem in the industry, it seems everywhere has skills shortages.
However to be fair servicing and maintaining EVs is a whole lot less complex than ICE. Much of the mechanical side isn't that different from an ICE car but if the electrical side goes wrong (which is fairly rare AIUI) it seems to be a fairly specialist job, i.e. manufacturer.
Reskilling existing workforce for the routine stuff ought not be too difficult, which they presumably already manage to do if another model or make comes along.
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>> Reskilling existing workforce for the routine stuff ought not be too difficult, which they presumably
>> already manage to do if another model or make comes along.
A reskilled and more specialist workforce is no bad thing - essential in effect for green technology advances not just the motor trade.
Not sure how much of the existing skills we be of any use. Sure suspension, but little else. I havent looked into the mechanical application of regenerative braking, I assume its done on the transmission/drive unit with standard mechanical braking on the hubs (not sure how they power the brake booster assume its electric)
Currently getting these things fixed is patchy and lengthy, the biggest gripe of Tesla owners is the servicing and repairs. It will need to change and damn fast, It should be easy, each car should be able to phone home and diagnose a part - it will be very much a throw a list of parts at it however.
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Loads is similar - bodywork, lights, wheels and tyres, seat belts, suspension, doors, lighting and circuits etc etc.
In the engine and drive train departments I'm not sure there are that many parts you can throw at an EV, unlike your average ICE car.
The battery obviously can't easily be serviced by your average mechanic.
My previous car could have been slow to fix in the event of a major fault, but mainly because of no local availability of parts, but that's a common problem to any rare car.
My understanding of regen (KERS) is that the motor switches into a generator and provides resistance which slows the wheels. None of the braking comes from the brakes. although the brake lights may activate if the KERS braking is of sufficient force
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>> In the engine and drive train departments I'm not sure there are that many parts
>> you can throw at an EV, unlike your average ICE car.
I can assure you there is massive complexity with loads of ancillary components to make and keep the motor driving you forwards. There is shed loads of stuff - electrical, electronic and mechanical - just to keep the battery pack in tip top order, you dont get the current impressive working life and reliability out of them without it.
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Yes but I doubt they do much component swaps in garages, they'd swap out the whole bit (I imagine)
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>> Yes but I doubt they do much component swaps in garages, they'd swap out the
>> whole bit (I imagine)
I think you misinterpreted "component" - i the auto world its not the same as electronic world.
Last edited by: Zero on Mon 6 Dec 21 at 16:49
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>>the auto world its not the same as electronic world
Has been overlapping for a while though.
Mate's gearbox on an ML280 started to malfunction - MB diagnosed a faulty mechatronic controller and wanted the thick end of 2 grand to replace.
Mate sent it to a company who replaced some electronic gubbins with better bits dor 300 quid and has been fine for past couple of years.
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Having started out fiddling with my £30 948cc Triumph Herald convertible in the early 1970's, and then going on to a 14 year career fixing the damn things, I know most of what I need to know about the infernal combustion engine, but naff all about EV motors.
Some EV's have two motors I believe, the Subaru Solterra does, one for each axle, being AWD.
I presume there's nothing to 'fiddle' with on the electric motors, so born-again idiots like me don't really need to know anything about them.
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>> www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2021/12/06/mechanics-uks-electric-car-ambitions-warns-halfords-boss/
>>
He probably could have shortened that interview to 'can i have some free government money'
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So am interesting retweet today from Harry Metcalfe. Someone saying that before they purchased a house they had contacted the local electricity supplier and were advised there wasn’t enough capacity in the network for them to install a home charger!
Might have been out “in the sticks” but not something I would ever have thought to check!
twitter.com/harrym_vids/status/1468509327120113669?s=21
Last edited by: Bobby on Wed 8 Dec 21 at 23:06
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"I bought a house on the Moon and there isn't enough air to go outside for a walk"
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Not a lotta traffic on the moon, yet. Lotsa potholes though!
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And plenty of soft cheese to repair them with, just like the council use round here.
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Probably due to reading this thread, the MG advert appeared on my Facebook for this car. Lots of comments about it which were actually very amusing.
New Morris Ital Estate
Montego Estate
Passat Estate from last century
But best one I saw was “looks like a mock up of a car used in generic car insurance adverts “
It does!
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Very true.
Part of its charm is its lack thereof....
:-)
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Less likely to be nicked too, Like Subarus, no one would look twice at 'em.
"The MG 5 EV is a no-nonsense electric estate car. It's got a big boot, can travel 250 miles between charges and won't cost a lot to buy or run. There's a lot to like, it's just a shame it's not remotely stylish" HJ.
"Many who see an MG 5 on the road may, if they know what it is at all, assume it’s simply a bad car – but that’s just not true. There’s an almost undetectable roundedness about it that can’t have been easy to engineer in" Autocar.
"The MG5 is a no-nonsense family estate that offers decent practicality with the efficiency benefits of all-electric drive. It won’t suit buyers looking for any sparkle and shine on their driveway, as the MG5 lacks any pretension or showy, extravagant character.
Instead, it delivers on what matters most: plenty of space, good levels of standard equipment, a usable range and low running costs. The MG5 isn’t going to set your pulse racing, but if you can get past the humdrum image you’ll find a car that just gets the job done - at a price that makes it hard to resist" Autoexpress.
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Sounds like the reviews we got when Daewoo burst onto the market….
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They appeal to the A2B merchants. Peops will buy on price plus the 7 year warranty.
Pity I've never been an A2B merchant, as I would have saved a truck load of spondulics over the last 50 years!
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>>Sounds like the reviews we got when Daewoo burst onto the market....
Daewoo were never competitive with contemporary cars.
By pushing hard into EVs, MG have taken the fight to legacy makers, with products that are non-inferior to ZOE/LEAF. Sure, the styling sucks but so did KIA's before they head-hunter Schreyer. And none of MG's offerings are as execrable as the Pride or Shuma (perhaps the GS was close).
I see no reason to believe they are not going to be the brand that nreaks through for China as Honda/Nissan did for Japan, and Hyundai did for SK.
The latest journo reviews are tending to be 4 stars rather than 2-3: of limited real world relevance other than Daewoo never managed that, they stayed sub-par until they disappeared.
Last edited by: Lygonos on Sat 11 Dec 21 at 08:47
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I hadn't seen one until today, then i saw 2. Looks like the sort of thing taxi drivers would buy, bit like the octavia when it first came out.
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Much as I joke about the shape of this one, I don’t think the new ZS is actually too bad. I don’t plan to change car for a couple of years yet but next car will definitely feature electric of some sort, depending on my circumstances at the time.
WFH I am not doing much mileage just now so you could argue perfect for full electric. But could also argue a 30-40 mile electric range hybrid would also be perfect.
Problem of course is the prices. MG really have, in my opinion, opened a new sector to the market with their range and prices. I wonder if we will see existing suppliers like Kia either adjusting prices accordingly (doubt it) or trying to compete by offering a new model at MG prices.
Like any new tech, gadgets, apps I look forward to the day I have electric of some sort and then have the challenges and decisions that this will give. Different journey planning, driving styles etc. Heck, I will need to even change the mpg spreadsheet that I have faithfully used since my 99 T plate Scenic!
Random question- how long is a standard charger cable? Ours is a 2 car driveway so the car first out in morning would need to have a cable Long enough to reach from house to the second car? So about, what, 6-7m? And what is the protocol of the cable, can you just leave it at the house plugged in? I can see my wife going out at 6.45 am to start her 12 hour nurse shift and be ok with pulling out a plug and throwing it to the side of the driveway. Anything more involved than that and she will be un coooperative!
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On the charger front, for ease of use you want a ‘tethered’ one, where the charging lead is attached to the charger. So leaving at 06:45 is simply a case of unplugging and driving off, though hanging the lead up is probably preferable to chucking at the side of the drive!! The alternative, untethered charger, means getting the charging cable in and out of the boot every time and plugging it into the charger and the car. Ours was a tethered type 2, and from memory we had a choice of 5m or 7.5m length. We went 7.5m, which, depending on the shape of your drive and the location of the charging socket on the car should let you get past one car to another. 10m leads are also available I think.
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MG - MG5 EV - Zero
