MG4 in Australia

[Jamesrr]

...
Car depreciation is not relevant as in 10 years time the EV second hand market is likely to be different to the present.

I agree. By then I expect a very significant V2G market for 10 y.o. EVs whose batteries have dropped enough "range" to be annoying but still are plenty big enough to act as the home battery.
In fact I think the V2G market will be huge by then.

 

[Phil]

I agree. By then I expect a very significant V2G market for 10 y.o. EVs whose batteries have dropped enough "range" to be annoying but still are plenty big enough to act as the home battery.
In fact I think the V2G market will be huge by then.

Exactly, I was forgetting the V2G factor…good point.

 

[decrep]

These are all good points. I think I need to move south.

Yes come and join us, most people I know from NL fit in well with the Aussie culture/humour.

 

[wattmatters]

most people I know from NL fit in well with the Aussie culture/humour.

One big difference is the attitude towards cycling. Australia prioritises the convenience of drivers well above the safety of cyclists and pedestrians.

 

[decrep]

Yes being a cyclist here isn't so good. I hadn't considered that

 

[wattmatters]

You are lucky you can rely on your solar power.

We are, plus in the middle of the day our power is free so if you have the car at home you can charge for all but no cost. Today I have added 14 17 kWh of solar and 8 kWh of free grid energy to the car.

Depreciation on my car is irrelevant to me as I keep a car usually for 10 years from new. The fuel savings over an ICE car compensates but the driving experience is the real winner.

+1

 

[Tuareg]

I have a 9 panel 4kW system, provides nearly 30kWh per day during summer months May-September and 11-12kWh on most winter days here as it's generally sunny most days in winter but the sun is lower. Here we are on 35° N. The PV system adds value to the property and makes it faster to sell

These are all good points. I think I need to move south.

Just 3-4 hour flight south is enough to get great sun and free fuel for any EV, it's one of the reasons I'm getting one. I would never buy an EV if I had to use public chargers unless very infrequently.

 

[salty]

One big difference is the attitude towards cycling. Australia prioritises the convenience of drivers well above the safety of cyclists and pedestrians.

I've always liked, Australia.

 

[NLMGSAN]

I have a 9 panel 4kW system, provides nearly 30kWh per day during summer months May-September and 11-12kWh on most winter days here as it's generally sunny most days in winter but the sun is lower. Here we are on 35° N. The PV system adds value to the property and makes it faster to sell

Just 3-4 hour flight south is enough to get great sun and free fuel for any EV, it's one of the reasons I'm getting one. I would never buy an EV if I had to use public chargers unless very infrequently.

Well, this is the case for me. But I'm lucky. AC chargers will cost me €0.30 cents per kWh. Elsewhere, even in the same town, it could cost me twice that. Given that Euro95 will do +/- €2 per litre and a good hybrid runs 5 ltr/100 km, with this EV I still manage about half the energy consumption costs. The MG4 runs at an estimated 17.5 kWh/100 km (including charge loss).

 

[T1 Terry]

Yes being a cyclist here isn't so good. I hadn't considered that

In South Australia, particularly the major cities, have road lanes dedicated to cyclists only, not even motorbikes are allowed to use it. Just like the bus lanes, venture onto their turf and be prepared to lose big $$ and demerit points on your licence.

T1 Terry

 

[Phil]

Merry Xmas everyone, I hope you all have a good day wherever you may be. Bright sunshine here with no wind to speak of, but thinking of those in the fire areas. Been there, done that on Christmas Day.

 

[decrep]

Thanks Phil,
But wind is what I want today, plan on a windsurfing Xmas

 

[Wizard of Oz]

Right, dumb question time... If one has charged the car to 100%, does it automatically calibrate the battery, or do you have to prompt it in some way? I've filled the car with electrons for a long-ish trip today, so thought I might as well go the extra step, but it switched off virtually straight after hitting 100%.

 

[Coulomb]

If one has charged the car to 100%, does it automatically calibrate the battery,

It will immediately set the SoC to 100%, yes.

I've filled the car with electrons for a long-ish trip today, so thought I might as well go the extra step, but it switched off virtually straight after hitting 100%.

As long as it was the car that switched off at 100%, that should mean that the BMS thinks that the battery is already balanced.

If it's the EVSE that turned off the power when the power draw dropped significantly, that could be a problem. But I don't know of any EVSEs that do this.

 

[T1 Terry]

Right, dumb question time... If one has charged the car to 100%, does it automatically calibrate the battery, or do you have to prompt it in some way? I've filled the car with electrons for a long-ish trip today, so thought I might as well go the extra step, but it switched off virtually straight after hitting 100%.

This is a guestimation on my part, I haven't tested how the MG BMS actually does things.
I'm thinking that the BMS will pull the high cell down until it reaches 3.4 something volts, at that point, any energy used out of the high voltage battery will drain from all the cells, so even the headlights on should pull power from the high voltage battery through the DC to DC converter to top up the 12V battery. The result should be the 3.4V is pulled down into the 3.3V range and the 100% will be reduced to ???%

A recharge from there should add to all the cells until the high cell reaches the 3.55 to 3.65V range, again triggering a 100% charge shut down, an hour of "balancing" again should show you how far out of balance the battery pack actually is via the delta between the high cell and the low cell voltages.

Maybe someone will come up with a piggy back harness for the cell connection wires to the BMS and an active balancer can be added to improve the balancing, maybe selective method of choosing cells to pull down below the 3.4V mark so the 100% SOC resets each time to below the end of charge signal and this will turn a trickle charger on to assist with the cell balancing .... or even have the advanced balancer also part of the trickle charging, switching off when the active balancer switches off.

T1 Terry

 

[Coulomb]

Maybe someone will come up with a piggy back harness for the cell connection wires to the BMS and an active balancer can be added to improve the balancing,

I think that there is a good chance that the BMS is inside the battery case. You don't want over a hundred unfused high DC voltage wires running further than necessary, with the chance of twigs or speed bumps interfering with those wires. So the small market for such a device collapses to a few hard core battery hackers. Even most MG service centres would not want or even know what to do with one, I'm guessing.

 

[T1 Terry]

I agree. By then I expect a very significant V2G market for 10 y.o. EVs whose batteries have dropped enough "range" to be annoying but still are plenty big enough to act as the home battery.
In fact I think the V2G market will be huge by then.

There was a reference to that already being well underway, just have to remember where I saw/read it .... here it is, at the 2.20min mark and yes, Robert Llewellyn is the actor who plays Kryten from Red Dwarf, hence the head replicas on shelves in the background.

T1 Terry

 

[T1 Terry]

I think that there is a good chance that the BMS is inside the battery case. You don't want over a hundred unfused high DC voltage wires running further than necessary, with the chance of twigs or speed bumps interfering with those wires. So the small market for such a device collapses to a few hard core battery hackers. Even most MG service centres would not want or even know what to do with one, I'm guessing.

Funny, when I mentioned that on another forum I was shot down
I think, if all the mechanical shops don't diversify into specialised upgrades and mods for EVs and retro fitting much loved ICE vehicles to EV, they will cease to exist at all and leave a huge hole in the vehicle maintenance arena that won't get filled.
EVs might not need the engine and gearbox work of old, but that was vanishing 30 yrs ago when I left the trade, but they still need brake fluid changes, lights replaced, brake servicing even if it is after an extended period, wheel alignment and suspension repair, that annoying squeak or seat not adjusting correctly ..... all the little things that most people simply aren't prepared to spend their precious free time sorting out.

A retro fit kit that would sort out the poor factory BMS balancing/charging, things like mentioned in this thread ..... and naturally, I can't find it now, but it involved buying time on the SAIC portal (not sure if that's the correct term) to sort out issues and install upgrades etc ..... not just for MG models, but the huge range of EVs out there now .... seems no one is completely happy with their vehicle.

T1 Terry

 

[Wizard of Oz]

It will immediately set the SoC to 100%, yes.


As long as it was the car that switched off at 100%, that should mean that the BMS thinks that the battery is already balanced.

If it's the EVSE that turned off the power when the power draw dropped significantly, that could be a problem. But I don't know of any EVSEs that do this.

Thanks for the answer. Yep, the car I believe. I was using the granny charger to fill 'er up.

 

[Ozman]

I have an MG4 Excite MY24 and I cannot find the button or setting to recirculate air for when I am stuck behind a diesel truck. Help please.