Crossing France in an MG5, is it possible? We will see in this file how long trips are made in the MG electric van, using our two reference trips. The duration, the costs and the comparison with other vehicles are on the program.
The MG5 recently arrived on the EV market, in a fairly new segment: pickup trucks. As always, MG offers an efficient vehicle at an unbeatable price. However, we’re going to compare it to our summer and winter benchmark rides, to see if this MG5 can really carve the road without a problem, both in terms of cost and duration.
As usual, the rules will be as follows: the start will be at 100% battery, the arrival at 20% and the vehicle must drive at the speed limit. First we will go back to the characteristics of the vehicle (range, battery, charging power) and then we will compare them with the reality on the ground. Below, you will find the summary tables of the different vehicles that participated in this exercise, so that you can compare the one that best suits you.
The characteristics of the MG5
The MG5 has a 50 or 61 kWh battery, for an announced WLTP autonomy of 310 or 400 kilometers. Today we are focusing on the version with a 61 kWh battery (Extended Autonomy), but do not imagine that it can travel 400 kilometers without stopping, at highway speeds.
Its CCS Combo port ensures that it can be recharged on all available networks, such as Ionity, Totalenergies, Allego, Fastned or Tesla Superchargers open to all if necessary.
The maximum charging power is advertised at 87 kW, which ensures a step of 0-80% battery in 40 minutes under ideal conditions. Unfortunately, this does not make the MG5 one of the kings of fast charging, and we will see below if this is enough for trips of more than 800 kilometers.
As usual, A Better Route Planner will be used to plan routes, with the default fuel consumption benchmark for the MG5 Extended Range.
Route planning
Put all vehicles on an equal footing, We start trips at 100% battery, taking into account that you have to pay for this filling at the average price per kWh in France, currently at 0.17 euros. The 61 kWh then represent 10.50 euroand we will take this cost into account when making a balance of each important trip.
Fast charging prices have fluctuated for a few months, but we consider here that, on average, the kilowatt hour recharged on the road is 0.68 euros. Depending on the networks, it can be more or less expensive. However, in order to compare all vehicles fairly, we maintain this rate.
The first major route will simulate a summer vacation from Orleans to Arcachon (530 kilometers), and the winter route will start in Caen and end in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (850 kilometers).
For the summer route, the parameters indicated in A Better Route Planner are the following: outside temperature 25 degrees Celsius, no wind, arrival at a charging station with at least 10% battery remaining and arrival at destination at 20% . For the winter trip, it is essentially the same, apart from the weather, where we choose a temperature of 0 degrees Celsius.
The balance of the different routes
One hour of charging for 530 kilometers
Our summer trip from Orleans to Arcachon is quite well equipped with fast charging stations, allowing even vehicles with a small battery to run smoothly. This is true with the MG5, which needs three recharges to arrive safely with 20% remaining battery.
Ionity is used exclusively during this journey, with a first charge of 11 minutes, and two longer ones, of 29 and 24 minutes respectively.
The price linked to these fast charges is estimated at about 45 euros. Adding the initial initial charge, we get a price of 55 euros for this summer trip. Average consumption is estimated at 215 Wh/km, which corresponds to a autonomy of 280 kilometers from 100% to 0%.
One charge every 100 kilometers in winter
The conditions on our winter reference route are particularly difficult for electric vehicles. In addition to the length of the journey (850 kilometers), the temperature of 0 degrees associated with the positive difference in level at the end of the journey puts the MG5 to the test.
In practice, A Better Route Planner offers seven recharges, with a total duration of 2 hours and 36 minutes. The longest distance between two charges is that of the start, with just over 150 kilometers before recharging. Next, It takes an average charge every 100 kilometers.
Fortunately, the density of fast chargers is such that it is not a problem to reach your destination, even if it means stopping relatively often. The cost related to fast charging is estimated at around 112 euros, and adding the price of charging at home, gives a rate of 122 euros for this winter trip.
Regarding consumption, it is estimated at 252 Wh/km, 17% more than during the summer trip. The autonomy of the MG5 with this consumption is approximately 240 kilometers, far from the 400 kilometers WLTP announced.
Consumption, recharging cost and autonomy
We summarize the costs and charging times (including charging at home at 10.50 euros) in the following table, and you will be able to visualize as we go through our examples where the vehicle you are interested in is located in comparison with others in a similar route.
| Vehicle | summer trip cost | Summer trip loading time | Total summer travel time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla Model 3 Propulsion | €36 – €49 | 31 minutes | 5h09m |
| Tesla Model 3 Long Range | €31 – €45 | 13 – 25 minutes | 4h 56min |
| EV6 58 kWh | €52 – €60 | 38 – 43 minutes | 5h30min |
| bmw i4 | €48 – €58 | 22 – 37 minutes | 5h11min |
| hyundai ioniq 5 | €72 | 36 minutes | 5h16min |
| mercedes benz eqs | €44 | 14 minutes | 4h 48min |
| Tesla Model Y Propulsion | €46 | 34 minutes | 5h30min |
| MG MG4 64 kWh | €66 | 49 minutes | 5h 39min |
| Renault Megane e-tech EV60 | €67 | 56 minutes | 5h 40min |
| EV6 77 kWh | €56 | 26 minutes | 5h07min |
| Hyundai Kona 64 kWh | €61 | 58 minutes | 5h47min |
| Peugeot e-208 | €73 | 1 hour 13 minutes | 6h09m |
| Tesla Model S Plaid | €46 | 14 minutes | 4h 52min |
| Tesla model S | €34 | 9 minutes | 4h 47min |
| Skoda Enyak iV 80 | €51 | 27 minutes | 5h01min |
| Skoda Enyaq iV Coupe 60 | €58 | 42 minutes | 5h19m |
| VW ID. Buzz | €82 | 48 minutes | 5h 37min |
| MG MG5 | €55 | 1 hour 03 minutes | 5h40min |
| porsche taycan | €61 | 19 minutes | 4h 51min |
| Mercedes EQE 300 | €43 | 23 minutes | 4h 54min |
| Vehicle | winter travel cost | Winter trip charging time | Total travel time in winter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla Model 3 Propulsion | €102 | 1 hour 42 minutes | 9:16 a.m. |
| Tesla Model 3 Long Range | €101.3 | 1 hour 02 minutes | 8h27 |
| EV6 58 kWh | €120 | 1hr 54min | 9:59 a.m. |
| bmw i4 | €147 | 1 hour 32 minutes | 9:08 a.m. |
| hyundai ioniq 5 | €145 | 1hr 29min | 9:14 a.m. |
| mercedes benz eqs | €115 | 50 minutes | 8:03 a.m. |
| Tesla Model Y Propulsion | €120 | 1 hour 46 minutes | 9:42 a.m. |
| MG MG4 | €109 – €141 | 2h23min | 10:02 a.m. |
| Renault Megane e-tech EV60 | €104 – €139 | 2h12min | 9:49 a.m. |
| EV6 77 kWh | €143 | 1 hour 14 minutes | 8h 54min |
| Hyundai Kona 64 kWh | €98 – €132 | 2h24min | 10:01 a.m. |
| Peugeot e-208 | €168 | 2h 49min | 10:59 a.m. |
| Tesla Model S Plaid | €104 | 42 minutes | 8:05 a.m. |
| Tesla model S | €88 | 33 minutes | 7:55 a.m. |
| Skoda Enyak iV 80 | €113 | 1 hour 18 minutes | 8h33m |
| Skoda Enyaq iV Coupe 60 | €118 | 1 hour 46 minutes | 9:04 a.m. |
| VW ID. Buzz | €182 | 2h04min | 9:41 a.m. |
| MG MG5 | €122 | 2h36min | 10:01 a.m. |
| porsche taycan | €146 | 58 minutes | 8:05 a.m. |
| Mercedes EQE 300 | €112 | 1 hour 09 minutes | 8:32 a.m. |
The MG5 can cross France, even if it means taking your time
Crossing France in an MG5 is possible, but it is clear that you need to take your time and reload quite often. For the summer trip, with a charging time of more than an hour, the MG5 is at the bottom of the table, at the level of the Renault Mégane E-Tech or the Hyundai Kona.
The Tesla Model Y Propulsion, which has a battery of comparable size, shows a loading time cut in half, which is significant enough to be noticed. In terms of cost, this ride on MG5 is approx. 10.40 euros for 100 kilometers. For comparison, this is equivalent to a trip in a thermal car that consumes around 6 liters per 100 kilometers.
For the winter trip, the higher consumption implies a significantly higher cost. So 14.35 euros for 100 kilometers for the MG5 in winter, or 38% more than the summer route. Travel time reaches 10 hours, which puts the MG5 on the same level as the Hyundai Kona, or the 58 kWh Kia EV6.
It is possible to optimize the cost of long trips by using subscriptions in Ionity, Tesla or Fastned, but this is only useful for large wheeled vehicles. If the prices linked to these long trips scare you, keep in mind that on a day-to-day basis, the MG5 recharged at home shows a cost closer to two euros per 100 kilometers, something impossible in a thermal vehicle.
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