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

Jockster said:
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.
Click to expand...
The heating was off and the outside temperature was 7c. Battery was just under the half way mark.
 
Jam said:
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
Click to expand...
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
 
Gabor85 said:
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
Click to expand...
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.
 
Last edited:
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.
 
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
 
DMeine said:
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
Click to expand...
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 said:
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.
Click to expand...
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.
 
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.
 

Similar threads

J
Seeking Advice on ZS Hybrid Plus Electric Motor Usage and Fuel Efficiency
Replies
7
Views
682
Chris7
Chris7
A
MG ZS hybrid+ running on EV mode
Replies
5
Views
480
Chris7
Chris7
gerrydoorstop
Concerns
Replies
3
Views
648
gerrydoorstop
gerrydoorstop
S
Efficiency Reading Accuracy on ZS EV
Replies
3
Views
251
fred12345
F
D
Major and minor things that could possibly be solved through an update
2
Replies
22
Views
2K
FromParis
FromParis
Support us by becoming a Premium Member

Latest MG EVs video

MG Hybrid+ EVs OVER-REVVING & more owner feedback
Published
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom