[RicM]

After 14 months of ownership familiar message I know and after a full charge it comes on when you switch the car on in default Normal mode/KERS 3. Usually after 10 - 20 miles you don't get this message again as there is battery capacity available to take the generated watts.

The car was serviced at the end of October last year where the BMS update was applied to allow charging with the door unlocked or open. I don't seem to be affected by a massive drop in range and battery shows 456V when at 100%.

Using my home fast charger I have toped the battery up to 100% a few times. Balancing takes about 3 hours. Since my last full charge two days ago the 'Regen Braking Limited - Use Brakes' message now appears every time I toggle to KERS 2, KERS 1 and back up to KERS 3! This occurs at all state of charge of the battery. This morning it came on again even though the battery is just on 4 blobs or about 50%.

Any similar experiences?

 

[Edd Beesley]

Could be related to the cold? Batteries do not like absorbing energy when they are very cold, and it's been below zero overnight for a couple of nights now.

 

[TJEV]

Temperature

 

[Neilew]

Yeah, it's the cold temperatures at the moment. Very low temperatures degrade the battery's ability to take on as charge (and that charge can be as much as 13 kW with heavy stopping).

Having said that, I do think that the MG is pretty poor in this respect. Zoe never really showed the same losses in regen. I've seen recently that the MG's regen has dropped to around 20% below the zero mark (on the right hand dial) to recover later after several regen events to the usual 35 - 40%. I'm assuming that this is because the previous regen events have warmed the battery. YMMV

 

[RicM]

Yes, it will be the temperature then. Its been consistently between -5 and -2 Deg C overnight for the past week. It was particularly cold this morning taking a downhill run into town. I did notice a lack of regen. During the day the temperature has stayed at -2 Deg C and after a short drive of a few miles this afternoon, there have been no such warnings. Battery must have been sufficiently warmed up.

The plus side of this cold weather is a chance to see how the car performs in the snow and ice on single track roads in the hills here. Put some snow chains in the boot the other day and headed up a small ice covered road. I was impressed that I didn't need the snow chains to get up some quite steep sections. The traction control system kicked in a few times and was effective. I have lived and worked in the Alps for several years so used to snow driving and I must say it performs pretty well!

Very reliable starting up in the morning and jump started a diesel Subaru with a dead battery this afternoon without a problem.

 

[CasperStorm]

The ZS battery is meant to be insulated but I'm not convinced - it is in a big flat aluminium pack exposed to undercar airflow. It seems to cool down a lot overnight and take a while to heat up once driving (having a battery temperature gauge would be nice, along with SoC %age....)

I think last winter was very mild, thinking back, and I wonder if the car is simply behaving as intended in a colder winter spell - I have noticed weaker regen and the power is certainly withheld at higher SoC (when cold can be limited to 60% at 40-50% SoC) than last winter.

 

[RicM]

I agree, last winter was much milder so these new observations are cold related. The battery is supposed to be insulated true, there is also a flat plastic panel to deflect the air underneath, and the aluminium battery pack also has a covering to protect from road chips and damage which probably helps a little with insulation.

I just looked up the owner's manual ...

Effects of Ambient Temperature

The working performance of the high-voltage battery
pack fitted to your vehicle is related to the ambient
temperature, this battery powers the vehicle power
system and therefore it is recommended that where
possible the vehicle should be used within the temperature
range of -15 to 45. This will ensure that the vehicle is at
the optimum working state, and help extend the service
life of high-voltage battery pack. Extremely high or low
temperatures will affect the performance of high-voltage
battery pack and vehicle.

 

[Carty]

I have noticed weaker regen

Hi @CasperStorm .
I started to notice the reduction in regen strength about a week ago.
I have always driven in the default mode of Max regen level 3 and "Normal" for the driving mode, therefore spotting the reduction in strength was very quickly picked up when driving.
I find myself using the footbrake a little more over the last week or so, because of the reduction in the Max regen strength.
The ZS EV has a pretty strong regen strength when in level 3.
In the summer time, even after a full charge.
As soon as there was space in the HV pack, the strong regen would return.
Now the regen feels weaker, a little like the battery is almost full, when it fact it is only half charged to capacity.
Now I think about it, my previous PHEV was the same in cold weather if I remember correctly.
My car is parked on the drive at all times, it is currently sitting there with about three inches of snow on the roof !.
Even on short journeys to the local supermarket, it consumes the energy from the HV pack at a high rate.
Mind you, everything in the car is running almost flat out.
Cabin heater and the blower motor of course, heated seats, side lights, head lights, wipers etc etc.
You soon get use to that Max regen feeling, I both love and miss the power of it right now !.

 

[Neilew]

the strong regen would return.

I deliberately do some regen at the start of driving. As I come off my estate there is a downhill stretch. This helps the battery to warm up and increase the regen effect.

TBH I have to go a way back to remember a winter this cold. There have been odd days in the past 5 or so years that have been in the minus, but not many.

 

[Boxbrownie]

Has the ZS not got battery warming/pre condition that can be programmed?

 

[CasperStorm]

Has the ZS not got battery warming/pre condition that can be programmed?

Not programmable. There is a software update to allow manual control but it was only really meant for Nordic countries.

Without being able to see pack temp (thanks MG - similar for no SoC %age....) we don't know when the automatic pack warmer kicks in.

The overall low usage and sustained freezing temps is very different to last year. Li-ion at feeezing cannot effectively be charged safely, and can only be discharged at a reduced rate.

Would be great if one the OVMS crew could post pack temp and rate of charge from a freezing start (though I suspect the charge drawn would be a mix of amps to battery and amps to heating circuit if on).

 

[SueH]

The plus side of this cold weather is a chance to see how the car performs in the snow and ice on single track roads in the hills here.

Do you have the standard tyres on it? On my old banger Hyundai I had a set of snow tyres on wheels which safely took me to the Alps but with my new car I haven't splashed out yet! Thanks for your separate account elsewhere of your trip to Geneva, and suspect many of us would welcome more such accounts.

 

[MikeProcter]

I think this might be sorted with the new BMS update that @Miles Roberts mentioned the other day.

The duff BMS is throwing up a lot of strange behaviour. I personally think it’s all related.

But yes, this winter is much colder than last winter so far.

 

[scotty]

I think this might be sorted with the new BMS update that @Miles Roberts mentioned the other day.

The duff BMS is throwing up a lot of strange behaviour. I personally think it’s all related.

But yes, this winter is much colder than last winter so far.

Interesting to hear how the new BMS affects the battery preheat setup on you car. Assume you’ll be getting the new BMS as soon as it’s released?

 

[RicM]

I have the standard Michelin Primacy 3 tyres on the car. I may go for Michelin Cross Climate all weather tyres when they need replaced. They are supposed to be even better on snow and ice but not sure if they are as efficient or long lasting in summer conditions.

 

[MikeProcter]

Interesting to hear how the new BMS affects the battery preheat setup on you car. Assume you’ll be getting the new BMS as soon as it’s released?

Hopefully.

I have the standard Michelin Primacy 3 tyres on the car. I may go for Michelin Cross Climate all weather tyres when they need replaced. They are supposed to be even better on snow and ice but not sure if they are as efficient or long lasting in summer conditions.

I have just bought a set of second hand VW rims & Dunlop Winter Sport 5 tyres 205/60 R16. Swapped over yesterday. I now need a set of TPMS sensors fitted, so will contact MG tomorrow. Waiting for wheel trims to turn up as well.

I have used Michelin CrossClimate tyres on my previous Leaf’s, but decided on full winters this time. The CrossClimate tyres are okay, and didn’t seem to affect range much in the Leaf 24 or 40.

 

[shikoku14]

I’ve got Goodyear Vector 4 Sesons (Gen 2) fitted on mine since 1st December, I’ve not noticed any noticeable change to range (I had CrossClimates on my Soul, Leaf and E-Golf and in all cases I think it seemed to change summer range about 3% compared to what others were reporting, but then again everyone’s driving style and drive is different so hard to truly compare). The Goodyear’s have been good, you still get a little wheelspin on ice thanks to the traction control kicking in (turned regen down to 1 to avoid that being a contributing factor), but last weekend I happened on a car park that was complete black ice. Two cars were already stranded at the bottom of the car park and they were waving at me to stop coming in further (it had a 20% slope) I manage to do a 3 point turn and get out and they probably thought I had a fancy 4WD car to get out.

 

[Boxbrownie]

Not programmable. There is a software update to allow manual control but it was only really meant for Nordic countries.

.

Thanks, what about cabin pre heating for cold weather?

 

[Carty]

Thanks, what about cabin pre heating for cold weather?

Not programable from an App in the U.K.
The only way to preheat the cabin is to manually turn it on, after the car has been fully booted.
You are unable to set a preheat from the info unit in the car either.
Simple answer - NO !.

 

[CasperStorm]

To be fair a fully frozen car takes 3 minutes to have clear glass and be toasty inside.