Electric Cars: The Basics
For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:
- The History Of Electric Cars and Vehicles
- Different Types Of Electric Cars: A Short Guide
- Electric Cars and Vehicles: Pros, Cons And Myths
- What Is Regenerative Braking In Electric Cars
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The All-Electric MG 5 EV
MG Motor UK Limited (MG Motor), is a UK headquartered British automotive manufacturer, now owned by the Chinese automotive company, SAIC Motor. SAIC is owned by the Chinese government and headquartered in Shanghai. MG was owned by MG Rover up to 2005, before the collapse of the company. Despite the change in ownership, MG cars continue to be manufactured at the historic Longbridge plant in the UK.
The MG5 electric vehicle (EV) is the second pure electric car from MG, after the all-electric MG ZS EV. The MG5 electric estate car is targeted at families seeking to buy a practical and affordable zero-emission EV. The MG5 EV does not disappoint in terms of affordability.
The 5 seater e-estate is practical and family-friendly, without compromising on comfort. The rear seats are comfortable for adults, with a decent boot space (464 L). The electric vehicle (EV) is available in two EV battery options (52.5 kWh/61.1 kWh) with an electric range up to 250 miles (WLTP), for the larger EV battery. The EV is more than appropriate for most family requirements, to include, work trips, school runs, family outings, grocery shopping, weekend trips and a lot more!
Driving an electric vehicle (EV) is cheaper than driving a petrol or diesel vehicle. As an example, in India, filling a full tank of fuel for the internal combustion engine (ICE) Tata Nexon SUV will cost up to Rs 5,000 (assuming an average cost per litre of Rs 100. The Tata Nexon has a fuel tank capacity of 44 L).
In comparison, the Tata Nexon Pure Electric SUV will cost less than Rs 300 for a full EV battery charge (EV Battery size: 30.2 kWh). In India, the average cost for residential electricity is between Rs 5 to Rs 10 per kWh(unit). Therefore the cost to drive per km (or mile) in a pure electric vehicle is substantially lower than a petrol or diesel vehicle.
At an average one can expect a cost per km of Rs 1 for a zero-emission EV, while for an equivalent petrol or diesel vehicle, the cost per km could be up to Rs 7 per km. The annual cost savings achieved by switching to electric driving is significant!
| At A Glance | |
|---|---|
| EV Type: | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) |
| Vehicle Type: | Estate |
| Engine: | Electric |
| Available In India: | No |
| Trims (4 Options) |
|---|
| Excite: 52.5 kWh |
| Exclusive: 52.5 kWh |
| Long Range Excite: 61.1 kWh |
| Long Range Exclusive: 61.1 kWh |
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| A genuinely affordable family electric estate | DC charging limited to 100 kW |
| Good electric range with two EV battery options | Not the most inspiring drive |
| Practical and ample boot space | Interior quality can be improved |
| EV Battery & Emissions | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Type: | Lithium-ion |
| EV Battery Capacity: | Available in two battery sizes (52.5/ 61.1 kWh) |
| Charging: | 100 kW DC Rapid Charging. On board charger: 7kW AC |
| Charge Port: | Type 2 |
| EV Cable Type: | Type 2 |
| Tailpipe Emissions: | 0g (CO2/km) |
| Battery Warranty: | 7 years or 80,000 miles |
| Charging Times (Overview) | |
|---|---|
| Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW): | 6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC) |
| Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW): | 3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
| Rapid charging AC (43 kW): | 0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
| Rapid charging DC (50 kW+): | 0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
| Ultra rapid charging DC (150 kW+): | 0-80% : 20 mins to 40 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
| Tesla Supercharger (120 kW – 250 kW): | 0-80%: up to 25 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
- Note 1: SoC: state of charge
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Height (mm): | 1513 – 1521 |
| Width (mm): | 2059 |
| Length (mm): | 4544 |
| Wheelbase (mm): | 2665 |
| Boot Capacity (Litres): | 464 |
| MG5 EV (52.5 kWh) | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Capacity: | 52.5 kWh |
| Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 214 miles |
| Electric Energy Consumption (kWh/100km): | 17.5 |
| Charging: | 100 kW DC Rapid Charging (0-80%: 40 mins). On board charger: 7kW AC |
| Top Speed: | 115 mph |
| 0-60 mph: | 7.3 seconds |
| Drive: | Front-wheel drive (FWD) |
| Electric Motor (kW): | N/A |
| Horsepower (PS): | 156 |
| Torque (Nm): | 260 |
| Transmission: | Automatic |
| Seats: | 5 |
| Doors: | 5 |
| Kerb Weight (kg): | 1,532 – 1,550 |
| Colours: | 5 |
| MG5 EV (61.1 kWh) | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Capacity: | 61.1 kWh |
| Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 250 miles |
| Electric Energy Consumption (kWh/100km): | 17.5 |
| Charging: | 100 kW DC Rapid Charging (0-80%: 40 mins). On board charger: 7kW AC |
| Top Speed: | 115 mph |
| 0-60 mph: | 7.3 seconds |
| Drive: | Front-wheel drive (FWD) |
| Electric Motor (kW): | N/A |
| Horsepower (PS): | 156 |
| Torque (Nm): | 260 |
| Transmission: | Automatic |
| Seats: | 5 |
| Doors: | 5 |
| Kerb Weight (kg): | 1,550 – 1,565 |
| Colours: | 5 |
Air Quality: The Basics
It does not matter where in India one lives, no one can escape the increased level of air pollution engulfing our villages, towns and cities, across the country. However, this is not unique to India.
Air pollution has been documented globally as one of the key issues in increased mortality rates, in particular, for those that are most vulnerable: the children and the aged. Increased air pollution has been linked to increases in premature deaths, higher rates of cancer, heart attacks, stroke and lung diseases.
In India, air quality worsens closer to more densely populated urban centres, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd tier cities. Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru are just some of the examples of cities with dangerous levels of toxic air pollution or poor air quality. In fact, air pollution levels have been so high in India in the recent years, that it has captured the attention of the world media.
Many factors affect the level of air pollution, but one that is significant, is the pollution released from road transportation, commonly referred to as ‘emissions’ or tailpipe emissions. For the majority of the globe, to include, India, emissions from petrol and diesel vehicles contribute more than 30% to air pollution. This is an average, and certainly, in more populated cities like Delhi and Mumbai, the level of toxic contribution from vehicle exhausts will be even higher. The other major contributor to air pollution is energy production and consumptions (fossil fuels).
So, what is air pollution?
- Air pollution is the release of pollutants in our atmosphere that have a negative impact on the health of individuals and the environment as a whole.
- The majority of pollutants are invisible. The are minutely small particles (finely divided solids) or gases that cannot be seen with the naked eye. These extremely small solid or liquid particles are also called particulates. Examples are: fumes, smoke, dust and soot. The majority of these particulates are less than 10 micrometres.
- Air pollution can affect the environment both outdoors and indoors. There are a number of different types of pollutants, but the most well known are particulate matter, carbon dioxide, methane, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide.
- Both carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NO2), contribute to smog formation, very common in the winter months. Sulphur dioxide (SO2) contributes to haze and also acid rain formation. Particulate matters also contributes to haze and acid rain. All the above negatively impact health by increasing irritation of breathing passages, aggravation of asthma and irregular heartbeat.
- Pollutants like carbon dioxide have a far reaching consequence on our lives. It is not only air pollution that it impacts, but as being a major source of greenhouse gas, CO2 has a long-term and detrimental impact on our environment and ecosystem. More commonly refereed to as ‘climate change’.
- Most of us know in India are familiar with PM 2.5 (fine particulate matter). These are tiny particles or droplets that are two and one half microns or less in width. A micron is a unit of measurement of length equal to one millionth of a metre. An increase in levels of PM 2.5 concentrations result in an increase in unhealthy air quality, haze etc. Vehicle exhausts are a major contributor to higher levels of PM 2.5 in the air.
- Though measures like reducing traffic (odd-even system in Delhi), wearing air masks etc. can help reduce the impact of pollution, the reduction is not far-reaching. Zero-emission road transportation i.e. electric cars, are a panacea for a sustained and comprehensive improvement in air quality. The sooner, we in India, migrate to electric vehicles, the sooner can we start to improve our local air quality.
