Departure on vacation: trip Paris-Arcachon in MG4, a hassle?

Long drives in electric cars remain a source of anxiety, but is it justified? A new example with the MG4 between Paris and Arcachon.

There are two ways to approach the holiday road: ultra-early departure and a fast pace to not waste a minute of available beach time. Or, you can start to relax by choosing a cool cruising speed, without stress.

One might think that this second option is primarily for electric cars, but that stereotype has changed. Now, charging times are much shorter. In fact, a drive in an electric car does not take twice as long as a gas or diesel equivalent, especially if you stick to the mandatory 15-minute break every two hours on the road.

What is the queen of electric compacts worth?

A bestseller in France, the MG4 with Standard battery of 51 kWh may be considered too small to tackle a long highway trip. Again, misconceptions have evolved. Why? Because it has been realized that a small battery car, which is much lighter, does not offer significantly less range on the highway compared to a heavier car with an XXL battery. Weight is the enemy, especially for an electric car.

Let’s assume the driver takes the road with 95% battery charge and an additional weight of 300 kg due to extra passengers and luggage. The online tool Abetterrouteplanner.com is highly accurate in these aspects.

Based on a massive amount of data, the planner estimates the average energy consumption at 215 Wh/km, resulting in a total of 142.6 kWh for the 653 kilometers to cover between Paris and Arcachon. The cost of charging will also be known in advance: 55.8 euros. Much cheaper than a thermal equivalent!

Only 1h38 of charging!

The journey, completed at the recommended speed of 130 km/h at peak, will take 7h37. Four charges will be required, totaling 1h38. This would only be 30-40 minutes more than a thermal equivalent that takes breaks every two hours, as explained earlier.

If you own a MG4 with the Extended Range battery of 77 kWh, which can charge at speeds of up to 144 kW, then the travel time is even shorter: only 3 stops for 51 minutes of charging while maintaining a similar consumption of 215 Wh/km. Thus, it’s evident that the difference mainly lies in the charging speed. In the end, the trip will take you 6h48, which is 50 minutes less.

ALL THE NEWS ON MG