Picking up MG4 tomorrow - then straight on 500+ mile holiday trip

[Pagz]

Hi everyone,

Soon to be new MG4 LR owner here (Camden Grey for anyone interested). Due to pick up my car tomorrow morning, then we're off to Cornwall for a week (in the car!)

Obviously I won't have a tonne of time to familiarise myself with all of the ins and outs of the cars functionality before we set off, but I covered a lot of the general stuff on the test drive, and I've been researching a fair bit about what it can do.

Just wondering if anyone has any general tips for a newbie to EV ownership that might be useful for us? So far:

• downloaded zap map, and will be looking at this today to see what it suggests charging wise. (Travelling from the Midlands)
• checked local chargers around the area we are staying (looks to be a few dotted around - we're staying just outside of Padstow)
• realistically I'll need to stop at least twice on the journey down (knees - hopefully cruise control will help this though!)

Does anyone have any general pointers for longer distance in terms of car setup? I've read regen braking set to 1 when on motorways is better when using cruise control? Do those of you who do longer distance often find there's a particular set of chargers that are more prevalent at service stations? (Just thinking to pre download apps etc.)

Thanks for any advice!
Pagz

 

[Rolfe]

Welcome Padz!

I'm just watching this thread to get the benefit of the advice when it comes in. I've only had my car for three weeks and haven't needed to charge away from home yet, but I have a 200-mile trip planned for Tuesday to visit friends in Yorkshire and stay over with them for a few days.

 

[OJEastwood]

Another useful app that helps on long journeys, I find, is 'A Better Route Planner'

 

[tsedge]

Hello Pagz,

As well as ZapMap you may want to get PlugShare and ABRP - the latter is particularly useful for route planning although for full accuracy it needs a hardware OBD2 dongle connected to your car to track your state of charge and efficiency.

I also have an Electroverse card from Octopus that makes paying for many charger types easy, but that may or may not suit you.

I would recommend Eco mode, turning off AC as much as possible and keeping to 65mph max to increase your range. Adaptive regen is the best setting as it is strong at slower speeds and weak at motorway speeds.

I live in Devon and chargers down here are sparse. There's a bunch at Exeter services which is a useful stopping point if it isn't too busy. Many of the fast chargers down here are in 1s and 2s attached to petrol stations or supermarkets. You'll find a lot of Type 2 destination chargers but you'll need your own cable.

It can be frustrating at busy holiday times as visitors overwhelm the charging infrastructure, so having a granny charger available and the ability to charge where you are staying can be very important.

Best tip - if you charge early morning or late evening it is much easier to find somewhere that is available and off peak rates are cheaper with some charging networks.

 

[Jomarkh]

Hi everyone,

Soon to be new MG4 LR owner here (Camden Grey for anyone interested). Due to pick up my car tomorrow morning, then we're off to Cornwall for a week (in the car!)

Obviously I won't have a tonne of time to familiarise myself with all of the ins and outs of the cars functionality before we set off, but I covered a lot of the general stuff on the test drive, and I've been researching a fair bit about what it can do.

Just wondering if anyone has any general tips for a newbie to EV ownership that might be useful for us? So far:

• downloaded zap map, and will be looking at this today to see what it suggests charging wise. (Travelling from the Midlands)
• checked local chargers around the area we are staying (looks to be a few dotted around - we're staying just outside of Padstow)
• realistically I'll need to stop at least twice on the journey down (knees - hopefully cruise control will help this though!)

Does anyone have any general pointers for longer distance in terms of car setup? I've read regen braking set to 1 when on motorways is better when using cruise control? Do those of you who do longer distance often find there's a particular set of chargers that are more prevalent at service stations? (Just thinking to pre download apps etc.)

Thanks for any advice!
Pagz

Hi,
Zap-Map is a great start but then you have to pay for the charge so filter contactless payments like Instavlot.
Do you have a type2 cable and a granny EVSE charge point?
What other apps etc do you have?

 

[PristDean]

If you'll be driving around Cornwall's roads, turn off LKA (Lane Keep Assist)

 

[MoDolph]

Try to identify which chargers you might want to use before setting off and, if possible, select locations with a good amount (4+) of chargers.

If you are driving at 70mph you will get about 180-200 miles so plan to stop around 150 miles in.

Do not arrive at a charger empty, always have enough charge to reach a backup.

 

[Themist0]

Let’s us know how you get on,

 

[Pagz]

Hello Pagz,

As well as ZapMap you may want to get PlugShare and ABRP - the latter is particularly useful for route planning although for full accuracy it needs a hardware OBD2 dongle connected to your car to track your state of charge and efficiency.

I also have an Electroverse card from Octopus that makes paying for many charger types easy, but that may or may not suit you.

I would recommend Eco mode, turning off AC as much as possible and keeping to 65mph max to increase your range. Adaptive regen is the best setting as it is strong at slower speeds and weak at motorway speeds.

I live in Devon and chargers down here are sparse. There's a bunch at Exeter services which is a useful stopping point if it isn't too busy. Many of the fast chargers down here are in 1s and 2s attached to petrol stations or supermarkets. You'll find a lot of Type 2 destination chargers but you'll need your own cable.

It can be frustrating at busy holiday times as visitors overwhelm the charging infrastructure, so having a granny charger available and the ability to charge where you are staying can be very important.

Best tip - if you charge early morning or late evening it is much easier to find somewhere that is available and off peak rates are cheaper with some charging networks.

Thanks! Will make sure to set to adaptive regen and will aim for 65ish (although I'll likely want to test it a bit quicker for...science to begin with ?). I'll have a look at the points along the route for multiple chargers! I'll look into ABRP as well as I believe @OJEastwood suggested the same thing!

Hi,
Zap-Map is a great start but then you have to pay for the charge so filter contactless payments like Instavlot.
Do you have a type2 cable and a granny EVSE charge point?
What other apps etc do you have?

Should be coming with Granny and Type 2 charger, so I'm good on that front! Will have a look for Instavolt!

If you'll be driving around Cornwall's roads, turn off LKA (Lane Keep Assist)

Noted, thanks!

Try to identify which chargers you might want to use before setting off and, if possible, select locations with a good amount (4+) of chargers.

If you are driving at 70mph you will get about 180-200 miles so plan to stop around 150 miles in.

Do not arrive at a charger empty, always have enough charge to reach a backup.

Yeah I'd planned on a couple of stops anyway, so if the initial stop isn't on my "planned charge" route, but they have points, I'll probably just plug it in anyway for a top up (and to make sure I can/it works.

Let’s us know how you get on,

Will do!

 

[Derek25]

One more. Try out a rapid charger before your journey, even if only for a minute. Good to familiarise yourself before charging in earnest.

 

[gus]

Ask the dealer to charge the car tonight to a 100% if you are going pretty much straight off and won’t have time to fully charge, download the manual onto a tablet so you can read it or bits of it, if you need to.

edit seek out the fast chargers in Cornwall before you go down, at least you will then know the close ones to where you are staying, plus give me a wave on your way back next week as I head down ?

 

[Pagz]

Ask the dealer to charge the car tonight to a 100% if you are going pretty much straight off and won’t have time to fully charge, download the manual onto a tablet so you can read it or bits of it, if you need to.

One more. Try out a rapid charger before your journey, even if only for a minute. Good to familiarise yourself before charging in earnest.

Yeah I've made sure that I'm getting it with a full charge, but I will do a few miles in it and then plug into a local rapid charger just to make sure it works before heading off on the main trip.

Will get the app downloaded too! (So many new apps already, and I don't even have the thing yet!)

 

[Derek25]

Yeah I've made sure that I'm getting it with a full charge, but I will do a few miles in it and then plug into a local rapid charger just to make sure it works before heading off on the main trip.

Will get the app downloaded too! (So many new apps already, and I don't even have the thing yet!)

Just be aware of the rapid charging curve. You won't charge quickly on a rapid if the battery is almost full. You get high speeds at a low state of charge and the speed backs off as the battery starts to fill. You won't see the highest speeds beyond 55% and it will really ramp down after 85%.

 

[AndyL61]

I did Cornwall from Stoke-on-Trent in my Trophy in March. Stopped once on the way down and once on the way back. Destination charge while there to keep us going and to top up for return. I got about 3.6 to 3.9 miles per kwh. Wasn't the slowest on the motorway by any means.?

 

[siteguru]

Download the iSMART app and create an account (using your email address), and make sure you keep a note of your password. Then when you collect the car you can bind your account to the car before you leave the dealership to make sure everything is OK.

 

[rob g]

As tsedge says services on the M5 at Exeter have plenty of chargers (very quick plus contactless) there are a bank of chargers at Cornwall services on the A30 at Victoria handy for Padstow .

 

[Chequers]

Hi everyone,

Soon to be new MG4 LR owner here (Camden Grey for anyone interested). Due to pick up my car tomorrow morning, then we're off to Cornwall for a week (in the car!)

Obviously I won't have a tonne of time to familiarise myself with all of the ins and outs of the cars functionality before we set off, but I covered a lot of the general stuff on the test drive, and I've been researching a fair bit about what it can do.

Just wondering if anyone has any general tips for a newbie to EV ownership that might be useful for us? So far:

• downloaded zap map, and will be looking at this today to see what it suggests charging wise. (Travelling from the Midlands)
• checked local chargers around the area we are staying (looks to be a few dotted around - we're staying just outside of Padstow)
• realistically I'll need to stop at least twice on the journey down (knees - hopefully cruise control will help this though!)

Does anyone have any general pointers for longer distance in terms of car setup? I've read regen braking set to 1 when on motorways is better when using cruise control? Do those of you who do longer distance often find there's a particular set of chargers that are more prevalent at service stations? (Just thinking to pre download apps etc.)

Thanks for any advice!
Pagz

Check where the MG dealers are on your route.
Just in case.

 

[fshuk1]

McDonals have InstaVolt. Most locals know where is the nearest McD.

 

[ph79]

Hi everyone,

Soon to be new MG4 LR owner here (Camden Grey for anyone interested). Due to pick up my car tomorrow morning, then we're off to Cornwall for a week (in the car!)

Obviously I won't have a tonne of time to familiarise myself with all of the ins and outs of the cars functionality before we set off, but I covered a lot of the general stuff on the test drive, and I've been researching a fair bit about what it can do.

Just wondering if anyone has any general tips for a newbie to EV ownership that might be useful for us? So far:

• downloaded zap map, and will be looking at this today to see what it suggests charging wise. (Travelling from the Midlands)
• checked local chargers around the area we are staying (looks to be a few dotted around - we're staying just outside of Padstow)
• realistically I'll need to stop at least twice on the journey down (knees - hopefully cruise control will help this though!)

Does anyone have any general pointers for longer distance in terms of car setup? I've read regen braking set to 1 when on motorways is better when using cruise control? Do those of you who do longer distance often find there's a particular set of chargers that are more prevalent at service stations? (Just thinking to pre download apps etc.)

Thanks for any advice!
Pagz

I drove Birmingham to St Ives day after picking up car. Mine only sr. Other answers all helpful but to add if you chose to stop earlier Bristol way the MFG near cribbs causeway is excellent. Shop toilets good chargers etc. Not far off M5. Enjoy

 

[Eber]

Download the iSMART app and create an account (using your email address), and make sure you keep a note of your password. Then when you collect the car you can bind your account to the car before you leave the dealership to make sure everything is OK.

Important advice. Make sure the car pairs to the app at the dealership.

Then: take the plane from Land's End to the Scilly Isles. Have a cup of tea at the Karma St. Martin's.