MG4 in Australia

[decrep]

Yes it's a tricky one.
As long as the intermediate chargers are available and working, shouldn't be a problem, and more chargers are going in all the time as EVs catch on.
But chargers do go out of action for one reason or another, and thoughtless ICE drivers do park in front of them.

There are 4 lots of chargers on the way home, Bunbury, Eaton, Mandurah and Baldivis, although Mandurah maybe a bit of a detour.
The chance of them all being unavailable would be fairly slim.

 

[GJT]

Thanks everyone especially Peter M for the freeway range figures.
You've made some good points.
My battery charging won't be as aggressive as you think. I didn't make it clear in my original post that my battery will be charged at my Perth home and then at my Busselton home when (if?) I get there. My trips between Perth and Busselton are probably once a fortnight. I hope to keep the car for a few years so degradation may be a factor. I suppose the Excite 51 appeals to my wallet.
Thanks again for all the helpful comments

 

[Coulomb]

Which is getting worked harder?

It depends a bit on how much you like to use heavy acceleration.

 

[Archev]

It depends a bit on how much you like to use heavy acceleration.

Hardly ever, it wasn’t me ?

 

[wattmatters]

It depends a bit on how much you like to use heavy acceleration.

Not that much. Even so, the power draw for such brief forays is still only ~ 2C. Cruising along the car is discharging at ~0.2-0.3 C.

 

[Coulomb]

Not that much. Even so, the power draw for such brief forays is still only ~ 2C.

But double that for dual motor models like the XPOWER, at least during heavy acceleration.

 

[Rolfe]

Thanks everyone especially Peter M for the freeway range figures.
You've made some good points.
My battery charging won't be as aggressive as you think. I didn't make it clear in my original post that my battery will be charged at my Perth home and then at my Busselton home when (if?) I get there. My trips between Perth and Busselton are probably once a fortnight. I hope to keep the car for a few years so degradation may be a factor. I suppose the Excite 51 appeals to my wallet.
Thanks again for all the helpful comments

That's not unlike my thinking. The SE SR appealed to my wallet! The distance you're taking about is well within the 51 kWh battery's capabilities most of the time, especially at a cruising speed of about 60 mph. If you have a backup charger en route that you're prepared to use occasionally in adverse weather conditions you should be absolutely fine. You might not even need the backup charger.

 

[PeterM]

Most EV drive batteries are discharging at pretty modest rates (circa 0.2 C) and typically charging at even lower C rates (0.1C or less). They also have pretty good thermal management systems and they are cycled way less than home batteries typically are.

My battery charging won't be as aggressive as you think. I didn't make it clear in my original post that my battery will be charged at my Perth home and then at my Busselton home when (if?) I get there.

Ah, with that context I agree with @wattmatters position. If you can AC charge at either end then it's not so bad.
I was basing my comments on the original "230km" commute (one way) and the stress that DC fast charging would cause for the return trip.

 

[Rolfe]

Sounds pretty well perfect to me.

 

[wattmatters]

But double that for dual motor models like the XPOWER, at least during heavy acceleration.

In a high performance car like that (or other brand high of performance vehicle) then longevity perhaps is not front of mind when purchasing.

Still, an XPower comes with a 10 year/250,000 km warranty. The fact they use the same battery pack is quite reassuring for those with the regular 64 kWh model given it has less than half the power output.

 

[ChargeMaster]

Thanks everyone especially Peter M for the freeway range figures.
You've made some good points.
My battery charging won't be as aggressive as you think. I didn't make it clear in my original post that my battery will be charged at my Perth home and then at my Busselton home when (if?) I get there. My trips between Perth and Busselton are probably once a fortnight. I hope to keep the car for a few years so degradation may be a factor. I suppose the Excite 51 appeals to my wallet.
Thanks again for all the helpful comments

the regular MG4 models seem more than capable for that Perth-Busselton run. Plus, easier on the wallet!

 

[ozzz]

Ahhh... from my old stomping ground ... or close by anyway .... moved to SA from Lake Illawarra probably8 yrs or more back .... all that area was a mozzie swamp we launch illegal firework over and near shattered windows in the area .... someone came driving back from Bass Point and the Police grabbed them for it hope they got off, we certainly weren't gunna own up to it :lol:

T1 Terry

I was in Kiama, moved to Robertson during Covid renovated a house then moved back down the hill now topend of APark near Jambaroo action park.
As for Bass point the gravel loader is about to be demolished and that’s the name of the best alcoholic ginger beer Gravel loader by Bass point.

 

[GJT]

Thanks again everyone. You've eased my mind about whether the Excite 51 will have the range to do the regular country trip that I do. And more good news I did an odometer recording of the trip from my garage in Busselton to the one in Attadale using my preferred route and the reading was only 214.9 kms. Off to the local dealer next week for a longer test drive with the one who will make the final decision.
Love the forum and look forward to contributing as an owner.

 

[Rolfe]

I make that barely 135 miles (sorry). I've NEVER had less range than that on my SR no matter the weather or the speed I was doing. If you can AC charge at both ends you should be absolutely laughing. Awareness of chargers along the way would only be for truly exceptional circumstances and I doubt that you'd ever need to use them.

The SE is a great car, you'll love it.

 

[wattmatters]

Awareness of chargers along the way would only be for truly exceptional circumstances and I doubt that you'd ever need to use them.

First trip or two I'd allow more time, stop at chargers en route anyway (even if not needed) to get used to where they are and what they are like to use.

 

[Rolfe]

Excellent plan. When I first got my car I arranged to go to stay with a friend 186 miles away, which I knew was too far realistically for the SR (maybe on a very warm day if I didn't go fast on the motorway!) and called in at pretty much every charger on the way past about 80 miles. I charged twice, at 83 miles and 135 miles, at different types of charger, just for practice. By the time I returned home a few days later I was almost a seasoned traveller!

I do that trip quite often, and in the 15 months since then it's noticeable that the charging situation has improved out of all recognition. Pretty much every motorway service station has been upgraded from a couple of elderly shared-power 50 kW units to multiple ultra-rapids, often six 350 kW chargers. Even the place I thought was a lost cause because of its remote location and restricted grid supply now has these 350 kW units in the process of going in. Hopefully Australia is going the same way.

 

[wattmatters]

When a new charge stop appears on a long route I use I usually make a point of at least passing it by, if not making a brief stop to try it out.

Next trip to Sydney I'll probably check out the new Tesla Supercharger option in Taree.

Hopefully Australia is going the same way.

The trip for us down to Sydney is completely different experience compared to same time last year. The main difference has been the Tesla Supercharger network, which has added all access options at Thrumster (Port Macquarie), Taree and Raymond Terrace. Previously it was a stressful drive with unreliable networks which had a woefully inadequate number of charge stations.

Going north to Brisbane is not as good.

According to the NSW EV map there are two x 15 station all access Tesla Supercharger sites approved for Coffs Harbour, so that will make a very big difference. Also another all access 10 station Supercharger at Byron Bay has been approved.

 

[decrep]

Yes getting familiar with them is a good idea, there are a few variables.
How to find them for a start.
How to start the charge.
How to pay for the charge.

I've spent several minutes at a few of them trying to work this stuff out. In a hurry this would be frustrating.
But I'm pushing 80, and doing everything on the phone is a bit alien to me, a younger more with it mind should find it easy.

3 apps you'll need.
MG ismart to remotely monitor state of charge while you have coffee and cake.

ChargeFox for the RAC chargers.
BP Pulse for the BP chargers.

 

[Corindikev]

Why they made it so difficult in the first place annoys me. What is wrong with plugging in and scanning a credit card. Works everywhere else.

I got an email from Evie recently and now so long as you have registered your car & payment information with them you just rock up, plug in and everything happens. I haven't tried it yet to see if it works.

 

[decrep]

Yep, that sounds how it should be.
The RAC network is fine, just flash the ChargeFox card, but BP Pulse was a pain, even though I had the app, it was confirming with Pay Pal and jumping through a few hoops that weren't easy for me on the phone. If I could have preset on the computer would have been much easier.

They do mention paying with a card, but there's no mention what card, and other parts say that's not an option yet.

The guide doesn't tell you about this, you only find out when you try to pay.