Briz Vegas Posted March 19 Posted March 19 On 19/03/2025 at 8:56 AM, betty boop said: if money is concern I suspect the r5 will be cheaper and cheerfuller that said if the pug is a quality hatch $50k is probably spot on a base mini e is $50k Expand Will the more regular R5 come to Australia? I had actually given up on the e208. The e308 is a super super low volume proposition, it’s not as pretty ( not that I have seen one in the flesh) and it’s more expensive than a Model 3. I already did my splurge on the performance Tesla and I expect depreciation will be brutal. 1
betty boop Posted March 19 Author Posted March 19 On 19/03/2025 at 9:34 AM, Briz Vegas said: Will the more regular R5 come to Australia? I had actually given up on the e208. The e308 is a super super low volume proposition, it’s not as pretty ( not that I have seen one in the flesh) and it’s more expensive than a Model 3. I already did my splurge on the performance Tesla and I expect depreciation will be brutal. Expand if you keep cars long enough .. depreciation becomes non event.. see it just as paying dues to own... after that anything get i look at as bonus ..and just means next car costs less no confirmation on r5.. remember how many years it took megane e-tech to come here. renault VW etc priorities countries more friendly and keen on EVs... so will trickle feed here and hold back for years.. VW ID has taken some 4+ years and still cant buy one likely mid to later 2025 ? the dealer demo have only just gone to dealers i read ps here is the alpine a290 vs mini Cooper JCW.. main thing i like about the alpine is it has the lighter weight as the superseded mini cooper se... but still looks like in a few ways the mini comes out on top in this review anywise .. i for one even though a mini owner prefer the look styling of the a290 vs new mini...
betty boop Posted March 20 Author Posted March 20 Nicola hume at electrifying doing a first look and it looks fantastic in red/black.. the star spangled front and big merc logo so reminds me of the first merc a250 i had ...great to see has come back in this new form one very high tech car by the looks.... as she says this is a electric car ..first.. and its a high efficacy design... and yep red seats belts like that first a250 as well.. its like its been reborn.... cut above CLA and touching S class she feel...
Volunteer sir sanders zingmore Posted March 23 Volunteer Posted March 23 I’m guessing this is the place to ask for advice… Ms Zingmore drove a bottom of the range MG4 today and has decided we need one. Just wondering what people’s thoughts are on it. Also, what other alternatives should we consider in the same price bracket (~$35k)?
rantan Posted March 23 Posted March 23 If I ever decide to buy an EV, this is probably what I would choose. My son was looking at one and we went for a test drive and it was really nice, both inside and out. It felt quite premium and the performance/steering/handling was really a surprise to me ( in a very good way). It appears that it has won quite a few titles and awards too, including Wheels Best Electric Vehicle under $80K so based on my (limited ) experience I would say its a winner at $35K.
Volunteer sir sanders zingmore Posted March 23 Volunteer Posted March 23 On 23/03/2025 at 7:20 AM, rantan said: If I ever decide to buy an EV, this is probably what I would choose. Expand “This” being the MG (not 100% if you are replying to my question)? EDIT: sorry yes it’s clear from the context. Thanks, will look for the review
Ihearmusic Posted March 23 Posted March 23 On 23/03/2025 at 6:41 AM, sir sanders zingmore said: I’m guessing this is the place to ask for advice… Ms Zingmore drove a bottom of the range MG4 today and has decided we need one. Just wondering what people’s thoughts are on it. Also, what other alternatives should we consider in the same price bracket (~$35k)? Expand BYD it would be for me as the build quality is far better than MG's. MG is where Hyundai used to be in the early days. Cheap and cheaper. BYD has a long experience in building vehicles of the electric kind. 1
Addicted to music Posted March 23 Posted March 23 On 23/03/2025 at 11:31 AM, Ihearmusic said: BYD it would be for me as the build quality is far better than MG's. MG is where Hyundai used to be in the early days. Cheap and cheaper. BYD has a long experience in building vehicles of the electric kind. Expand The Blade Batteries are safe 1
Volunteer sir sanders zingmore Posted March 23 Volunteer Posted March 23 On 23/03/2025 at 11:42 AM, Addicted to music said: The Blade Batteries are safe Expand Sorry what are “blade batteries”?
betty boop Posted March 23 Author Posted March 23 On 23/03/2025 at 6:41 AM, sir sanders zingmore said: I’m guessing this is the place to ask for advice… Ms Zingmore drove a bottom of the range MG4 today and has decided we need one. Just wondering what people’s thoughts are on it. Also, what other alternatives should we consider in the same price bracket (~$35k)? Expand its just about to be superseded... the current one doesnt sell in china very well at all (only sold a grand total of 13 last month), probably because of avant-garde/edgy exterior and quite cheap interior... new one blands out exterior and have no doubt will do something with the interior... https://www.drive.com.au/news/2026-mg-4-electric-hatch-revealed-australian-plans-for-new-generation-unclear/ definitely if price suits and like the current model get it.. just be wary the base model is a LFP battery .. so you need to do a charge to 100% and also run it down regularly to keep calibrated... plus in colder weather its a little slow to charge... its also stripped bare a bit .. hence the low price ? and some folks are happy with what get for the money... however a better bet might be middle of range mg4 ? the safety systems are quite Mg... ie mg pilot ..most folks getting these tend to switch off thier systems given find annoying.. .again if happy enough with them .. go for it .. other option in the price bracket ? at slightly more the chery omada e-5... from what ive seen its a better option ... https://cherymotor.com.au/models/omoda-e5 its a much better specd car.. included features: 18-inch alloy wheels Full-sized spare wheel 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto 6-speaker sound system 50W wireless phone charger Fabric seats with leatherette bolster 3-phase AC Charging alternatively if looking for something smaller ... theres ora cat ? from great wall.. also some mis givings due to price .. handling, power and safety systems...base model also comes with lfp battery ...it is $32,990 drive away... https://www.gwmanz.com/au/models/ev/ora/? additionally models from byd in dolphin - and atto3... SUV from $40k... https://bydautomotive.com.au/configurator/byd-atto-3?ref=website or cheaper small hatch in the dolphin fro m$30k... https://bydautomotive.com.au/configurator/byd-dolphin?ref=website again id skip the base models...
AudioGeek Posted March 23 Posted March 23 Has the MG4 base price gone up? Was $31k when I looked late last year. The Gely EX5 looks like great value.
aussievintage Posted March 23 Posted March 23 On 23/03/2025 at 12:02 PM, sir sanders zingmore said: Sorry what are “blade batteries”? Expand https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BYD_Blade_battery
Volunteer sir sanders zingmore Posted March 23 Volunteer Posted March 23 On 23/03/2025 at 12:48 PM, betty boop said: its just about to be superseded... the current one doesnt sell in china very well at all (only sold a grand total of 13 last month), probably because of avant-garde/edgy exterior and quite cheap interior... new one blands out exterior and have no doubt will do something with the interior... https://www.drive.com.au/news/2026-mg-4-electric-hatch-revealed-australian-plans-for-new-generation-unclear/ definitely if price suits and like the current model get it.. just be wary the base model is a LFP battery .. so you need to do a charge to 100% and also run it down regularly to keep calibrated... plus in colder weather its a little slow to charge... its also stripped bare a bit .. hence the low price ? and some folks are happy with what get for the money... however a better bet might be middle of range mg4 ? the safety systems are quite Mg... ie mg pilot ..most folks getting these tend to switch off thier systems given find annoying.. .again if happy enough with them .. go for it .. other option in the price bracket ? at slightly more the chery omada e-5... from what ive seen its a better option ... https://cherymotor.com.au/models/omoda-e5 its a much better specd car.. included features: 18-inch alloy wheels Full-sized spare wheel 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto 6-speaker sound system 50W wireless phone charger Fabric seats with leatherette bolster 3-phase AC Charging alternatively if looking for something smaller ... theres ora cat ? from great wall.. also some mis givings due to price .. handling, power and safety systems...base model also comes with lfp battery ...it is $32,990 drive away... https://www.gwmanz.com/au/models/ev/ora/? additionally models from byd in dolphin - and atto3... SUV from $40k... https://bydautomotive.com.au/configurator/byd-atto-3?ref=website or cheaper small hatch in the dolphin fro m$30k... https://bydautomotive.com.au/configurator/byd-dolphin?ref=website again id skip the base models... Expand thanks for the helpful answer. I’m a bit scared to show my ignorance again and ask for clarification but hey … Can you tell me what a LFP battery is? Also what is “mg pilot” and why do people turn it off?
betty boop Posted March 23 Author Posted March 23 On 23/03/2025 at 9:24 PM, sir sanders zingmore said: Can you tell me what a LFP battery is? Expand just different battery chemistry, there are two type of batteries LFP and NMC. both have pros and cons - LFP is cheap and hence will find typically in price fighter base models. - LFP has poor packing density so hence will find its usually smallest battery in range and smallest for capacity - LFP runs lower voltages so battery can have issues accurately predicting range. hence have to go through normalising or calibrating routines.. ie run battery down/ charge to 100% routinely to keep calibrated - LFP potentially has lower fire risk though ev fire safe has said they have come across fires with LFP as well. - LFP has potentially longer life eg 3000 vs 200 hours however batteries on ev will outlast cars... - LFP can struggle in lower temps for charging ...ie slower charging and at slower rate in winter - NMC has better packing density so for weight and space will find larger batteries eg vs 51kwh LFP, MG can fit in 64 and 77kwh which will give larger range plus better power to weight ratio - NMC have higher charging rates will see this between the 51 LFP and 64/77kw NMC battery cars also less susceptible to slow charge speed and rate in winter -NMC runs slightly higher voltages so no issue with calibration and no need to be running down or charging to 100% to calibrate. So will product range better - NMC potential has higher fire risk, however this is managed carefully these days and has been for 10 years with battery management systems - NMC can cost a tad more and hence will find in upper models - NMC has shorter life but even at base charge cycles its going to out live car.. we have teslas with million kms and toyota with million km warranty and such below more simplistic comparison from electrifying... https://www.electrifying.com/blog/knowledge-hub/lfp-vs-nmc-batteries-what-you-need-to-know-about-electric-car-batteries their conclusion is pretty spot on id say ... Conclusion Basically, you don't need to worry about either of these mainstream battery types - whether you're buying used or new. Both offer advantages, and are well established, tried-and-tested technologies. Just try to make sure that the car you're considering has got enough real-world range to cover your daily needs even after the battery has degraded a little over time (a range loss of roughly 1.5 - 2% each year is fairly typical regardless of the battery type), and you'll be set for decades to come.
betty boop Posted March 23 Author Posted March 23 On 23/03/2025 at 9:24 PM, sir sanders zingmore said: Also what is “mg pilot” and why do people turn it off? Expand its the ADAS safety and driver aid system.. and its not that well implemented .. so get false positives over zealous interventions.. to point driving along ... i kid you not it will tug the steering wheel really hard into oncoming traffic.. couple of well known reviewers(Bjorn on YouTube, Robert Llewellyn of fully charge show) have actually said "it tries to kill you" ie the safety systems are there to tick boxes for good ANCAP ratings ie 5 star to sell but are not actually that well implemented for day to day use.. i can confirm this in some mg hire cars i have had that MG pilot is pretty poor vs other brands implementations .. so i can understand folks that want to switch off.. this is not unusual for lot of the chinese brands though ... so if exploring chinese brand car .. be sure to check out the driver aids and safety aids.... make sure they work to your satisfaction.
Volunteer sir sanders zingmore Posted March 23 Volunteer Posted March 23 Awesome stuff, thank you @betty boop 1
betty boop Posted March 23 Author Posted March 23 On 23/03/2025 at 5:10 PM, AudioGeek said: Has the MG4 base price gone up? Was $31k when I looked late last year. Expand yep had a plate clearance.. once that was gone that was gone even ora cat plate clearance had some down to $26k .. they have gone too...
Addicted to music Posted March 24 Posted March 24 (edited) On 23/03/2025 at 12:02 PM, sir sanders zingmore said: Sorry what are “blade batteries”? Expand This is what i meant about being safe: The Tesla Model 3 Rear wheel drive thats coming out of the Shanghai factory are all LFP but not with BYD blade! Yes there are EV with this chemistry and has caught fire, but the blade battery is proven. The Atto 3 has this tech and some of the other BYD models, usually when a EV does catch fire its usually physically compromised such as debris on the road puncture and physically damage the battery cells, you can see with this demo the blade remains safe. You do not worry about low temp charging issues especially here in Melb as the temps do not get low enough to have eny effect, not like in other parts of the world like Canada or places like Norway. and the other issues of error tracking due to its lower voltage would have been managed by data and coding to reduce errors... Heres a news report on a Tesla Semi crashing and catching fire, it closed the highway for 12hours and took 50,000 gallons of water to put it out. Again this Semi was driven by a Tesla employee and it crashed. The Tesla driver survived but there was a recorded fatality. https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/tesla-semi-truck-fire-ntsb-report-50k-gallons-of-water/ Edited March 24 by Addicted to music 1
betty boop Posted March 26 Author Posted March 26 A subtle change …Toyota is rebadging its hybrid cars to HEV…hybrid electric vehicle which am sure will confuse folks… we have for some while now phev - plug in hybrid vehicles and been counted in stats and reported separately to Bev - ie battery electric vehicles …by ev council since first state of nation report they did back in 2018…China includes phev but not hev in its new energy vehicles ie nev … toyota is definitely working on conditioning it’s owner base for evs though with the barry add where he has finally gone electric ..I guess if their owner base buys hev…then buying a phev or ev is comfortable next step https://www.drive.com.au/news/toyota-hybrid-badge-changes-complete-australia/
betty boop Posted March 26 Author Posted March 26 per Chris Bowen at the recent electric everything show in Sydney, he clarified that a road user charge a will come but with no urgency ….this is consistent as previously stance … and it’s not also because of evs …as he says that’s a myth. but instead because “cars are much more efficient than they were 20 years ago” Which is correct. A ranger hire car am driving now guzzles down 9.8L/100 on average which is still less than a car like it decade or two ago and evs are a very tiny portion of road going vehicles with only being some 1-2% of cars on road. https://www.drive.com.au/news/electric-car-road-user-tax-inevitable-aus-government/ "The Prime Minister, the Treasurer and I have been clear, the time will one day come where that has to be done, but it's not yet," Minister Bowen told a panel at the recent Everything Electric expo in Sydney. "Fuel tax will evaporate. At this point, it's a myth that fuel tax is falling because of EVs – actually fuel tax is falling because petrol cars are much more efficient than they were 20 years ago, and that will just get faster as with our New Vehicle Efficiency Standards.” "I think we all know, we can't pretend it's one day not going to happen, but it's not going to happen immediately."
aussievintage Posted March 26 Posted March 26 Pity about rules about discussing politics when people quote the like of Chris Bowen LOL wait did I just??? sorry .... I am talking about the clean energy decision, no matter what flavour of politics. 1
betty boop Posted March 26 Author Posted March 26 https://www.carbuyer.co.uk/news/306425/new-mg4-facelift-coming-soon-but-uk-not-getting-all-new-model#:~:text=The all-new MG4 unveiled,by the new MGS5 EV. Interesting news there for uk at least, not sure applies here but looks like that new mg4 is a china only model possibly and uk will only get a refreshed current model. Wonder if that will mean an internal refresh (which mg4 badly needs) as they are talking about improvements inspired by mgs5 ev “Details for the updated MG4 are still up in the air, but it’s expected to pick up the new 12.8-inch infotainment screen from the MGS5 EV. We found it to work well during our in-depth test, offering more real estate than the 10.25-inch unit in the current MG4. The MGS5 EV also gets a handy bank of physical controls under the touchscreen which are likely to be carried over to the updated MG4, too.“
betty boop Posted March 26 Author Posted March 26 Interesting reading below how bmw has managed to have 30% of its sales now going to their electric cars … this is even higher overseas by way at some 39% mini here is also getting as high as 38% here each month of their sales going to ev And A massive 48% of those buying are coming from another brand ! and this rate of ev take is certainly as bmw says exceeding their own expectations ! https://evcentral.com.au/how-bmw-stole-australias-premium-electric-vehicle-market-from-audi-and-mercedes-benz-analysis/ “In February this year, almost one in three BMWs sold in Australia were BEVs (29 per cent), and that percentage is excepted to be even higher in the coming months, according to Brendan Michel, BMW Australia’s head of product and market planning. Perhaps even more remarkably, 48 per cent of those BEV buyers came to BMW from another brand. It’s as if there’s this whole swathe of people who want a properly engineered, classy EV, but don’t want a Tesla. At Mini, the percentage of BEVs is even higher, pushing as high as 38 per cent depending on the month. “
crisis Posted March 27 Posted March 27 On 26/03/2025 at 10:01 PM, aussievintage said: Pity about rules about discussing politics Expand Indeed.
betty boop Posted March 31 Author Posted March 31 oooh e-208 gets a gți version and its the fiat 600e drive train... https://www.carexpert.com.au/car-news/another-french-ev-hot-hatch-confirmed-for-production "The 600e utilises a front-mounted electric motor producing 175kW and a Torsen limited-slip differential, with a 0-100km/h sprint time of 6.2 seconds. There’s also a hotter Scorpionissima variant, which produces up to 207kW of power." thats quite a bit of power and gee would be nice if the LSD came across and imagine the 0-100 will be a lot swifter to the heavier 600e...
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