Dedicated MG ZS EV forum launched

Stuart Wright

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I’ve sat in and been very impressed by the MG ZS. It’s a milestone in the world of EVs because it has very usable range, yet is very inexpensive.
I’m so impressed that I’ve launched a brand new dedicated forum at MGEVs Community.
If you’re interested in being part of the MG ZS EV community, then please check it out.

I also think the forthcoming vW ID3 is going to be a hit.
Here is a new dedicated forum : VWEVs Community

Please register and start chatting.
 
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I’ve sat in and been very impressed by the MG ZS. It’s a milestone in the world of EVs because it has very usable range, yet is very inexpensive.
How is this a milestone? The Renault Zoe has been available for around £20K for a while.
Its entry into the EV market is welcome, and should provide competition to other manufacturers
 
How is this a milestone?
Range of 163 miles, pro-pilot type features, android auto and apple car play, panoramic sun roof, available within a month or two (which is a big deal) and all this for circa £24,000 (for the most expensive option).
This is a big deal and it's creating quite a buzz among the EV vloggers.
 
They’ve taken a lot of design clues from Mercedes it seems. That grill and the interior vents etc. Still think it’s way to expensive for the version with all the toys for what it is.
 
Still think it’s way to expensive for the version with all the toys for what it is.
Sure but you can post that for every single EV that is announced. Humans are to blame. Manufacturers created products that had very expensive batteries in and once the market made it clear it would clamour to buy overpriced cars simply because of the propulsion plant, prices stated Asmara high as the marketing will bear. Long waiting times for orders are simply because people are convinced the house must have an EV. Not knocking that and it can be for many reasons. The point is the market dictates the price so if people really want to know what the retail of an EV is without market forces, cancel all the orders and don’t order any at all.

Eventually the market will dictate the prices level to cost plus normal margin because all cars (vast majority) are EV. Lime ICE vehicles now. We have premium and not premium brands that have the toys and that difference will remain in EVs as well of course.

I reckon MG has take notice a small step towards removing the market hype margin for their latest EV so they probably should be applauded for that.

Until the market is nearly all all EV, we can keep saying it is expensive for what you get. They all are. (Fervent defenders of EVs in general please don’t take that the wrong way - it is a statement about the supply and demand market and applies to each very EV without exception at the moment).
 
Sure but you can post that for every single EV that is announced. Humans are to blame. Manufacturers created products that had very expensive batteries in and once the market made it clear it would clamour to buy overpriced cars simply because of the propulsion plant, prices stated Asmara high as the marketing will bear. Long waiting times for orders are simply because people are convinced the house must have an EV. Not knocking that and it can be for many reasons. The point is the market dictates the price so if people really want to know what the retail of an EV is without market forces, cancel all the orders and don’t order any at all.

Eventually the market will dictate the prices level to cost plus normal margin because all cars (vast majority) are EV. Lime ICE vehicles now. We have premium and not premium brands that have the toys and that difference will remain in EVs as well of course.

I reckon MG has take notice a small step towards removing the market hype margin for their latest EV so they probably should be applauded for that.

Until the market is nearly all all EV, we can keep saying it is expensive for what you get. They all are. (Fervent defenders of EVs in general please don’t take that the wrong way - it is a statement about the supply and demand market and applies to each very EV without exception at the moment).
Sure, but there is more to a car then being an EV, and this is an MG and that is not what it used to be anymore. A copy cat design (besides the Mercedes stolen styling I just looked at it again, and those wheels are like bad copies of the 2014 Golf R), and if it is anything like the other current MG's then the feel and the quality of it just doesn't do justice to its price tag EV or not. Sure the options list may feel impressive, but that is just like many of those 'cheap' Chinese phones with long spec lists as that doesn't mean it is good and works well together.

£28,500 (before Government subsidy) for the entry level model is not cheap at all. £30,500 for the model with all the toys. I cannot see how that can be seen as cheap for a front wheel drive SUV shaped little car.

PS. Can you imagine the range improvement if they didn't package this as a fake SUV.
 
Range of 163 miles, pro-pilot type features, android auto and apple car play, panoramic sun roof, available within a month or two (which is a big deal) and all this for circa £24,000 (for the most expensive option).
This is a big deal and it's creating quite a buzz among the EV vloggers.
I've been quoted £19,509 for a Zoe without battery lease after grant. Nearly £5000 cheaper, a little more range and abundant local dealers (which MG currently do not have)
Not exactly ground breaking
 
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The one thing it does have going for it is that you should actually be able to buy it as they will be produced in large volumes. Not like the current crop of EVs with small fixes UK allocations that are quickly sold out and lead to wait times in excess of 12 months.

I had to laugh at the Fully Charged review by Robert Llewelyn, as it does seem to have some interesting “quirks” :)
 
....Zoe...
But the Zoe is awful, isn't it? (Not that I have any experience to go on; only your repeated statements here). Is the MG similarly awful?
One could make a similar comparision between two other dissimilar cars and draw the same (flawed) conclusion, I suspect.
 
But the Zoe is awful, isn't it? (Not that I have any experience to go on; only your repeated statements here). Is the MG similarly awful?
One could make a similar comparision between two other dissimilar cars and draw the same (flawed) conclusion, I suspect.
If I ever test drive the MG I'll let you know.
My point is that an EV for £24,000 isn't groundbreaking. With the extra £3000 MG are knocking off it is a good deal.
 
Manufactures have been sharing and licencing platforms and tech amongst themselves for many a year (only have to look at VW, who rely heavily on others) so to start complaining about bits from here and parts from there is a bit like my favourite TV show.



pointless - Copy.jpg


Anyone remember how shit the Japanese were at cars and motorbikes and were just copying those from other countries.....

On topic: The car looks very much alike with other models, which is obviously not a bad thing and for the price is good.
 
Besides the obvious bias, it’s difficult to understand why this is a sticky thread. ...
 
Besides the obvious bias, it’s difficult to understand why this is a sticky thread. ...
If you own the forum you can do what you want
 
Stuart created this sub-forum due to his interest in EV vehicles. I don't have an issue with him promoting another forum he has so long as it isn't breaking rules about racial or religious tolerance.
 
Range of 163 miles, pro-pilot type features, android auto and apple car play, panoramic sun roof, available within a month or two (which is a big deal) and all this for circa £24,000 (for the most expensive option).
This is a big deal and it's creating quite a buzz among the EV vloggers.

Add to that the astronomical MG depreciation and it should be a very cheap car to run on a pence per mile basis.....
:eek:
 
Add to that the astronomical MG depreciation and it should be a very cheap car to run on a pence per mile basis.....
:eek:
Is it valid to judge the depreciation of electric cars against their piston equivalents? I would say not, by default. It’s more complicated than just the badge dictating depreciation. Some cars like Hyundais and Kias have a long waiting list because of battery shortages and so are selling for closer to list price and hold their used prices.
EV buyers who have done their research (and most do) will be buying with their eyes open and knowing what the MG is capable of rather than hanging on to a less relevant reputation.
That isn’t to say time won’t show the MG to either have problems or excel in some way which will affect depreciation either way.
My Ioniq is holding its value because they are still like hens teeth and the new 2019 version is flawed.
 
Stuart created this sub-forum due to his interest in EV vehicles. I don't have an issue with him promoting another forum he has so long as it isn't breaking rules about racial or religious tolerance.

Are you suggesting I start an anti-EV religion?!
 
Erm... no :)
 
Don't know anything about the MG but all the same it feels odd to single out any car and give it this sort of treatment.

My gut feel is that is that maybe Stuart has some vested interest - that he is receiving rewards from MG (a car or money for example).

If so that should be made clear - so we know whether we are reading honest independent stuff or advertising.

Cheers,

Nigel
 
Is it valid to judge the depreciation of electric cars against their piston equivalents? I would say not, by default. It’s more complicated than just the badge dictating depreciation. Some cars like Hyundais and Kias have a long waiting list because of battery shortages and so are selling for closer to list price and hold their used prices.

By that argument, one of the very strengths of the MG (short lead times) could also be one of its weaknesses.

The depreciation of EVs at the moment is somewhat artificial, as you point out. It is the lack of availability and long lead times - so that your 1yo car is very attractive to buyers who desperately want one but don't want to have to wait 12 months. This drives the situation with a second hand car is worth practically the same, sometimes even more than a new one.

But from what you are saying about the MG that situation won't apply. Why would I look at a 12 month old MG when I could have a new one within 1-2 months - the only reason is that it is significantly cheaper than buying new.

Once the they sort out the supply chain, used EV values will tumble. Doubly so, because EV is still a very emerging technology, improving year on year (we don't see that so much with fossil cars) so not only is the 12 month old car second hand but it is old tech too.

Cheers,

Nigel
 
Agree with nearly all your points, @nheather. And I considered depreciation before placing my order. But my thinking was that I could wait and wait and wait, and I wanted to replace the ageing Diesel ASAP, so I bit the bullet.
You should also look at the used price market for the NIssan Leaf, which has not had any shortage, for a better idea.
Difficult to say whether the MG will fair well or badly. It's not a car for me because my next EV will have 200+ miles of range and minimum 100kwh rapid charging speed. The VW ID.3, for example. Although I'd go for a Model 3 if I could afford it. Which I definitely can't.

I disagree that 12 months makes an EV old tech. Maybe 3 years. The first gen Ioniq is still the cheapest EV + efficiency combination on the road and the 2019 second gen has a 35% bigger battery but only has a few minor cosmetic and feature improvements, rendered worthless by the botched rapid charging throttling.
The standard tech features like
  • adaptive cruise control
  • active lane assist
  • blind spot detection
  • autonomous emergency braking
plus niceties like
  • heated and cooled seats
  • heated steering wheel
  • electric drivers seat with 2 memory positions
are all there in the
So I'm keeping mine for a while, yet.
I would enjoy an app to remotely see the state of charge and to program a charging schedule.
And a panoramic sunroof. But these are first world issues.

Personally I think it's a mistake to have anything less than 100kwh charging, now. Faster rapid charging is a key way forward, I think, because it means less time using the congested public charging network (which will have to be 150 or 300 kwh charging anyway) and makes EV refuelling closer to what piston car users are used to.

Not receiving anything from MG. Conspiracy theories more interesting than the boring truth, which is that the evidence I've seen is that it's a popular EV and it seemed like a good idea to spend a few quid and a few hours to start a forum for it.
 
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Hi,

I wasn't saying that looking at a particular car is old tech after a year just that the whole industry is immature and evolving quickly so a year in the industry is a long time.

So a year ago the MG might not have existed as an option (I don't follow the industry closely enough to know if that is true). But assuming it is, a year ago someone with a Acme Electron could be thinking that in 12 months time there car would have depreciated little. But roll on a year and customers are looking at it and saying "actually for the money you are expecting I could buy a new MG" or actually the AtoZ Proton is out which has much better battery life and charging times.

The point I'm making is that fossil cars have pretty much plateaued, year on year the industry isn't that much different. But the EV world is moving fast and each year there are significant developments. And if it weren't for long lead times the arrival of these improvements each year would be driving the value of older cars down.

At the moment, the development is happening but the lack of availability is keeping the second hand market artificially high. With the likes of the MG coming out with 1-2 month lead times, older cars will drop in value.

Cheers,

Nigel
 
The MG's lead time is closer to 5 months at the moment.
 
I went Hybrid with a Golf GTE as I didn't want to rely on the few public chargers, it was only £2K more than the GTD and with my mostly short trips I still mostly go full electric in its real 22 mile range.

I had an ID3 pre-order but since seen sense and know that over the next 3 years as battery prices fall the cars will become way cheaper. As of today I've decided to hold onto the GTE for 3 years (unless I get a good offer against the new Mk8 241bhp Golf GTE with 40+ mile range).
 

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