First Electric Journey

[Rocinante]

My old diesel Volvo V60 has been written off, so I've put a deposit on on 2022 MG5. So have many many questions, but will start with the most urgent. I'm picking it up from the other end of the country on Tuesday, but it's only coming with a granny. I'm going to need to charge on the way home, so will need a cable, should I just buy one from the dealer, or should I order one from elsewhere ? And If so what do I need to get. Where to buy, and any links most appreciated. Thanks

Weston Super Mare to Glasgow

"Gruensauber Type 2 to Type 2 EV charging cable, 32 Amp, Single Phase, 7.2kw, 5M Mode 3 EV Charger Cable" - £63 from Amazon perhaps ?

I have many many more questions, including any advice for my first charge ever.

 

[Alb]

Check out these threads:

Type 2 cable recommendation

Bought a Type 2 cable when we purchased our ZS TLR back un June. used it once , waste of time and money (for me at least).

www.mgevs.com

Advice about buying a charging cable

So am I right to say there's no point getting a 3 phase cable for the phase 2 MG4s, is single phase enough for 7kw? Yes UK will only charge at 7kW as they don't have the 3 phase any more.

www.mgevs.com

You won't need it if you are going to DC charge on the way home.

 

[5teep]

My old diesel Volvo V60 has been written off, so I've put a deposit on on 2022 MG5. So have many many questions, but will start with the most urgent. I'm picking it up from the other end of the country on Tuesday, but it's only coming with a granny. I'm going to need to charge on the way home, so will need a cable, should I just buy one from the dealer, or should I order one from elsewhere ? And If so what do I need to get. Where to buy, and any links most appreciated. Thanks

"Gruensauber Type 2 to Type 2 EV charging cable, 32 Amp, Single Phase, 7.2kw, 5M Mode 3 EV Charger Cable" - £63 from Amazon perhaps ?

I have many many more questions, including any advice for my first charge ever.

I bought the 7m version of that cable a week or so ago for £69, it works just fine. The extra 2 meters gives me a bit more leeway as to how I park the car.

As for the trip home, unless you plan to stay somewhere overnight (and plug the car in) then you don't need a cable just now. As Alb says just use CCS rapid chargers. You don't say which version of the car you're buying so the best advice is to check the stated range and if your trip is longer then look for chargers along your route. Charge when you still have 50 odd miles range in the car in case you cannot use the unit you wanted to and have to try elsewhere.

 

[Jomarkh]

My old diesel Volvo V60 has been written off, so I've put a deposit on on 2022 MG5. So have many many questions, but will start with the most urgent. I'm picking it up from the other end of the country on Tuesday, but it's only coming with a granny. I'm going to need to charge on the way home, so will need a cable, should I just buy one from the dealer, or should I order one from elsewhere ? And If so what do I need to get. Where to buy, and any links most appreciated. Thanks

"Gruensauber Type 2 to Type 2 EV charging cable, 32 Amp, Single Phase, 7.2kw, 5M Mode 3 EV Charger Cable" - £63 from Amazon perhaps ?

I have many many more questions, including any advice for my first charge ever.

Hi, great choice of car.
It it a Pre-facelift and is it the long range?
Check if it has been updated to work with Tesla Superchargers

 

[Rocinante]

Hi, great choice of car.
It it a Pre-facelift and is it the long range?
Check if it has been updated to work with Tesla Superchargers

Its a facelift,

 

[dsimpkins]

My old diesel Volvo V60 has been written off, so I've put a deposit on on 2022 MG5. So have many many questions, but will start with the most urgent. I'm picking it up from the other end of the country on Tuesday, but it's only coming with a granny. I'm going to need to charge on the way home, so will need a cable, should I just buy one from the dealer, or should I order one from elsewhere ? And If so what do I need to get. Where to buy, and any links most appreciated. Thanks

"Gruensauber Type 2 to Type 2 EV charging cable, 32 Amp, Single Phase, 7.2kw, 5M Mode 3 EV Charger Cable" - £63 from Amazon perhaps ?

I have many many more questions, including any advice for my first charge ever.

As others have said, for the journey home you should not need a Type 2 to Type 2 cable for AC (Slow) charging. For a long journey you will be using DC (Rapid) charging. Download ZapMap app onto your phone, you can use it to work out where to stop to charge during your journey home. You will also want to download the charging apps for the charging networks you want to use.

Different rapid charging networks will have different instructions for charging. Some will ask you plug in first, then set up the charge via app, some will do the opposite. Just follow the instructions step by step. It will become easier with experience.

I understand it might seem daughting as your first journey. I had similar when I picked up my MG4 as purchased from a dealer not local to me. Just plan your journey in advance, and have some alternatives along the way in case you can't use the chargers you planned.

MIght be worth posting where your journey start and end points are, plenty of helpful people on here who can offer advice on best places to stop along the way.

 

[Rocinante]

Hi, great choice of car.
It it a Pre-facelift and is it the long range?
Check if it has been updated to work with Tesla Superchargers

Its a facelift. But it's an MG garage with allegedly experienced salesman, and I seem to know more about the car them him. Asked about the Tesla, didn't know anything about it, then came back and said they were incapable of doing it, and when I queried that eventually said they couldn't tell, but should have been done at presale inspection when first on sale. Said they couldn't tell me battery state of charge, it's not something they do. When I pushed, he spoke to their service department and found out they do do it on the service, but I've still to get the figure. Bearing in mind there is only 2 specs on the MG5 was unable to confirm it had heated seats, it's A Trophy, so it does, I just wasn't 100%. It has no mats either, salesman claims they don't come with mats even new.

I bought the 7m version of that cable a week or so ago for £69, it works just fine. The extra 2 meters gives me a bit more leeway as to how I park the car.

As for the trip home, unless you plan to stay somewhere overnight (and plug the car in) then you don't need a cable just now. As Alb says just use CCS rapid chargers. You don't say which version of the car you're buying so the best advice is to check the stated range and if your trip is longer then look for chargers along your route. Charge when you still have 50 odd miles range in the car in case you cannot use the unit you wanted to and have to try elsewhere.

Facelift Trophy

As others have said, for the journey home you should not need a Type 2 to Type 2 cable for AC (Slow) charging. For a long journey you will be using DC (Rapid) charging. Download ZapMap app onto your phone, you can use it to work out where to stop to charge during your journey home. You will also want to download the charging apps for the charging networks you want to use.

Different rapid charging networks will have different instructions for charging. Some will ask you plug in first, then set up the charge via app, some will do the opposite. Just follow the instructions step by step. It will become easier with experience.

I understand it might seem daughting as your first journey. I had similar when I picked up my MG4 as purchased from a dealer not local to me. Just plan your journey in advance, and have some alternatives along the way in case you can't use the chargers you planned.

MIght be worth posting where your journey start and end points are, plenty of helpful people on here who can offer advice on best places to stop along the way.

Weston Super Mare to Glasgow

 

[dsimpkins]

Also, great forum name @Rocinante are you a fan of "The Expanse"?

 

[dsimpkins]

Weston Super Mare to Glasgow

OK, so starting out from not far from me. Depending on how much charge the car has when you pick it up, you may want to top up in Bristol before continuing North on the M5. There are lots of different rapid chargers close to M5 Junction 17 (Cribbs Causeway) including some Tesla superchargers that are open to all EVs.

Gloucester services M5 also have plenty of rapid chargers.
Next would be Strensham services.
Then Moto Hilton Park just North of Birmingham.
You probably would not need to stop at each of these, but these offer plenty of options.
Also, sometimes chargers just off the motorway can be less busy, and save you time.

Plenty of chains like Costa Coffee, McDonalds, KFC now have chargers (all of these use Instavolt) Good for topping up the car, grabbing a coffee, and access to toilets.

Further North than that and onto M6, then I would hope other forum members could provide some suggestions.

 

[Rocinante]

Also, great forum name @Rocinante are you a fan of "The Expanse"?

Yes, loved the expanse, and also from the original Don quixote's horse, of "awkward, past his prime, and engaged in a task beyond his capacities" (quote from wiki,) feels deeply appropriate

 

[kevin ellard]

Its a facelift,

If you are getting it from, a dealer then get them to do the EVCC update before you take it away.
Don't buy a single phase Type 2 cable. You wont need it on the way home but a 3 phase cable will let you charge at 11kW if you find a 3 phase AC charger. These aren't common in the UK but are around in Europe and the cable doesn't cost very much more.

 

[Rocinante]

If you are getting it from, a dealer then get them to do the EVCC update before you take it away.
Don't buy a single phase Type 2 cable. You wont need it on the way home but a 3 phase cable will let you charge at 11kW if you find a 3 phase AC charger. These aren't common in the UK but are around in Europe and the cable doesn't cost very much more.

Salesman seems to be somewhat uniformed, and went from not knowing what I was taking about, to saying they didn't have the capability to do it, to eventually saying it should have been done on the preinspection 2 years ago, but they couldn't tell me if I had it or not, and would just need to try it after I got it.

 

[kevin ellard]

Salesman seems to be somewhat uniformed, and went from not knowing what I was taking about, to saying they didn't have the capability to do it, to eventually saying it should have been done on the preinspection 2 years ago, but they couldn't tell me if I had it or not, and would just need to try it after I got it.

Unless the first buyer specifically requested it, I can almost guarantee that it wasn't done at the PDI. Mine isn't quite 2 years old (Early Jan 2023) and at that stage the dealers didn't know anything about it and the dealer had to get special permission from MG to install the update.