[ChloeEV]

Hi,

New to the MG ZS EV but I’ve done a couple of long trips across Wales in the past week and struggled with Ecotricity chargers. Twice I’ve stopped to use their 43kWh AC “rapid” chargers, but in the 45 minute slot allowed have come back to the car to find its only managed to take 5-6kWh (c£1.50). Have I got something set up wrongly? Both times I’ve luckily then managed to find a CCS charger locally and filled the car in under an hour, but I’m worried that the next time I’ll run out before I reach the CCS.

Any help welcomed!

 

[Bodgerx]

Hi,

New to the MG ZS EV but I’ve done a couple of long trips across Wales in the past week and struggled with Ecotricity chargers. Twice I’ve stopped to use their 43kWh AC “rapid” chargers, but in the 45 minute slot allowed have come back to the car to find its only managed to take 5-6kWh (c£1.50). Have I got something set up wrongly? Both times I’ve luckily then managed to find a CCS charger locally and filled the car in under an hour, but I’m worried that the next time I’ll run out before I reach the CCS.

Any help welcomed!

The rapid part of the Charger is the DC part.

Likely you used the AC plug on the Ecotricity, which is probably 22kw or less...

 

[ChloeEV]

Ah ok. But there were only two connections on the unit and the DC one was 50kWh. Just checked online and the AC one I used was Type 2 43kWh, so should have been pretty fast?

 

[john andersen]

nope, depends on what ac your car will take, only the zoe Q model will utilise the 43kwh, from your numbers the zs uses 6.8kwh could be worse, could have been a leaf with only 3.6kwh abillity

 

[cah197]

Ah ok. But there were only two connections on the unit and the DC one was 50kWh. Just checked online and the AC one I used was Type 2 43kWh, so should have been pretty fast?

That’s the supply rating, but your onboard AC-DC converter is effectively 7 kW. Which limits the charging rate.

Some cars, especially the Zoe will be able to use more of the available power, either 22 kW or 43 kW depending on the version.

On your car you need to make sure you use the CCS side for rapid charging.

 

[Neilew]

Ah ok. But there were only two connections on the unit and the DC one was 50kWh. Just checked online and the AC one I used was Type 2 43kWh, so should have been pretty fast?

MG EZS will only take the same amount from the AC plug as it does at home. It's limited to 7 kW and will not take anymore than that on any AC plug.

 

[dk6780]

Ah ok. But there were only two connections on the unit and the DC one was 50kWh. Just checked online and the AC one I used was Type 2 43kWh, so should have been pretty fast?

Confusing isn't it! With AC you are limited to the charging speed of your onboard charger, 7kW on the ZS. If you use DC it'll charge at whatever the battery will take, probably the whole 50kW.
We've all been there, but you learn quickly!

 

[cah197]

If you use DC it'll charge at whatever the battery will take, probably the whole 50kW.

Of course Ecotricity chargers tend to be limited to 125 Amps, so depending on your battery voltage you’ll get well below 50 kW.

Even more confusing.

 

[dk6780]

Too true, but it's likely to be significantly more than the 7kW achieved on AC in the ZS.

 

[Carty]

Hi,

New to the MG ZS EV but I’ve done a couple of long trips across Wales in the past week and struggled with Ecotricity chargers. Twice I’ve stopped to use their 43kWh AC “rapid” chargers, but in the 45 minute slot allowed have come back to the car to find its only managed to take 5-6kWh (c£1.50). Have I got something set up wrongly? Both times I’ve luckily then managed to find a CCS charger locally and filled the car in under an hour, but I’m worried that the next time I’ll run out before I reach the CCS.

Any help welcomed!

A very simple mistake to make !.
In this video, you can see how easy it is to caught out.
Fast forward the video to 13mins 45 sec's and continue to watch from this point.

 

[njm106]

This is something that dealers should really explain to new EV owners before they leave the showroom but you need the plug below for rapid charging

 

[Carty]

This is something that dealers should really explain to new EV owners before they leave the showroom but you need the plug below for rapid charging

Your totally right of course, just makes me wonder how many of them actual know this to be true !.
When I collected my previous PHEV and now my full BEV nobody even touched on how the cars should be charged.
If the dealer is selling PHEV’s and full BEV’s, you would expect them to have at least a 7kw fast post / wall box.
So, charging from one of these small units is normal for them by now.
A rapid, is probably not something they come across on a daily basis for majority of them ?.
I guess there will not be a big number of owners who have received instructions on how to charge there cars on collection day.
The selling dealer will ( should ) charge it to full on collection, then after that you are on your own !.
I had the chance to take a VW e.Golf on a two day test drive last year, when I collected the car it was fully charged, great.
But the sales person said ;-
“Charging the car is now your responsibility for the next two days, if you run out of energy, don’t ring and expect us to come and rescue you, we won’t”.
Okay, but when I enquired about the charging cables, it appeared the car never had a type 2 public charging cable in the boot !.
It had been left at the sister dealership.
I had to use the cable from my PHEV for two days.
You really can’t make this stuff up !.
Don’t therefore expect much education in this department from the selling dealership.
To be totally honest, there not that interested is what I have found.

 

[cah197]

This is something that dealers should really explain to new EV owners before they leave the showroom but you need the plug below for rapid charging

Yeah, on my recent road trip I observed a number of owners of Kias at public charging stations pluging in with the Type 2.

They probably wondered why they got so little charge.

 

[Neilew]

Whilst I was charging at Love Lane chargers in Nantwich last week a Niro turned up to charge. They had it for a 24 hour test. They were very uncertain on what to do and the female member of the party was highly sceptical. So the male wanted to get it right. I walked him through the how to and he started a charge first time. Female was impressed. Happy days.

 

[Nickel]

When we bought our C-Zero, the salesman showed us how to use the supplied granny charger. (Charging flap on offside rear.)

He told us that the flap on the nearside rear was sealed, and was a legacy of the ICE version of the vehicle. (I don't think that there ever was one.)

The 'sealed' flap turned out to be the Chademo port...

 

[Neilew]

(I don't think that there ever was one.)

Mitsubishi i - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Nickel]

Mitsubishi i - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I stand corrected. You learn something every day.

Thanks.

 

[Boatgeek]

Wales is shocking for decent charging points, often there is only one choice especially if one strays off the M4 and into the hills. That said, it was only on my most recent trip that one of my usual Ecotricity points was broken. I normally get around 46kw from them.

 

[Carty]

Whilst I was charging at Love Lane chargers in Nantwich last week a Niro turned up to charge. They had it for a 24 hour test. They were very uncertain on what to do and the female member of the party was highly sceptical. So the male wanted to get it right. I walked him through the how to and he started a charge first time. Female was impressed. Happy days.

It's a great feeling when you can help some body who is in a bit of a "Flap" at the charging station, well done.
I remember the first time I ever used a Type 2 fast post, it was a BP Charge Master and I had brand new sparkling Polar Plus RFID card ready and waiting.
Could I get the post to allow my car to charge ?.
NO - First time using a post away from home and we failed instantly !.
Then a kind fellow EV owner pulls up and spots me scratching my head, maybe he could see the pile of saw dust on the floor.
"Do you need a hand there mate".
After a big sigh of relief ( from myself ) he told me that you need to show the post the RFID card and wait for an except message, before you plug in both ends of your charging cable.
Unplugged the car at the charging port, offered the RFID card, got the accept message, plugged into the cars charging port and locked the car.
"Thump" and off we go !.
Easy when you know how, like most things in life I guess.

 

[MikeProcter]

It’s that lack of consistency that gets me.

Pod-Point rapid chargers I think you have to plug in first then go on the app.

Other networks rapid chargers you go on the app first then connect the car.....

Despite have been driving EV’s for over 5 1/2 years, I rarely ever use a destination charger. So they can be a bit problematic for me!!!!

Rapids, no problem if they are working.... but I have saved Ecotricity’s phone number on my mobile. Enough said......