MG5 EV 2023 electric car owner review (Ireland)

Duncan drives an MG5 EV SW Long Range 2023 (standard spec with Excite trim).

This is Duncan’s first electric car, he’s owned the MG5 EV 1-2 years and drives 15,000-20,000 miles annually. The current mileage of the car is between 30,000-40,000 miles and he achieves a 140-mile range on average, from an 80% charge.

Why did you choose the MG5?

It was the only estate body style available at a reasonable price. I also needed vehicle-to-load as I have power tools and I need to recharge and don’t have AC guaranteed on a job site.

Positives

Really comfortable
SAAB-95-like acceleration in the 20-60mph range where you need it to overtake
Vehicle to load at 7kW is enough to run anything.

Negatives

Rear seats don’t fold fully flat
satnav is not great.

Compared to when you first bought the car, does your battery still charge at the same rate & do you still get the same range?

I have not noticed any difference at all. The on-screen battery health indicator is still at 100%.

Have you experienced any faults with the car? If so, what have they been?

No faults.

What are the standout technological features of the car?

The 7kW vehicle-to-load capability exceeds anything else I have seen. With an IP65 multi-socket out the front you can run a table saw, recharge batteries and I have even run an electric mixer off it!

Tell us something people wouldn’t readily know about your MG5

It just works, no fuss.

What’s the biggest or funniest myth you’ve heard about EVs?

I keep having to show the maths to people who can’t believe how much cheaper they are to run than the equivalent diesel…I guess people don’t want to believe it?

What electric car(s) are you interested in next and why?

Probably an electric van. The Transit & VW are good but pricey so probably a Peugeot E-Expert or an Opel Vivaro-e.

Do you charge your electric car from home?

Yes

Do you have a home charging unit installed?

Electricity supplier & tariff

Electric Ireland standard tariff – not the cheapest so I guess I should shop around.

What public charging networks would you recommend to others and why?

In Ireland – ESB
In the UK: Volt

I’ve had a couple of machines stuck in fault mode (because they are exposed to all weathers) but phoning the helpline and getting them remotely rebooted fixed both. I have never had to wait for a charger but using the zappi app and being (mostly) in the North of England make it easier?

Insurance

I transferred my existing AIG policy over when I got the new car, they give me a competitive rate.

Please itemise where you’re saving money (or not) owning & running an MG5 EV

My energy costs are down approx. 30% and my tax is half what it was in the diesel. I don’t know about servicing as the car is still under warranty which includes a free service. Insurance went down and when I asked why they said it is because there is no catalytic converter to steal which is a big factor in claims.