The owner of a MG ZS EV – the most affordable electric car in Australia at $43,990 driveway – has shared a video of his new electric compact SUV handling a causeway crossing with no problems, thank you very much.
The video, posted by Kevin Johnson-Bade on Youtube, shows his brand new MG ZS EV crossing an Upper Karuah River tributary in the Barrington Tops of NSW.
Johnson-Bade shared the video in tongue-in-cheek Facebook group “I ruined the weekend” that pokes fun at prime minister Scott Morrison’s ridiculous comments that EVs will end the weekend, where group members share photos of their “devastating” weekends enjoying the great outdoors in their electric cars.
See also:Â Electric car owners poke fun at Morrison, say EVs “ruined” their Easter weekend
And Johnson-Bade didn’t make the crossing just once, it is clear. The video shows the MG ZS EV crossing from several angles, including a great drone shot at the end.
The Driven does not encourage drivers to cross flooded causeways and roads, but shares the video because it washes away (excuse our pun) any misunderstandings that electric cars cannot handle wet weather, or driving in water.
This is because the motor, and the batteries that power them are always encased in waterproof packs.
As The Driven contributor and AEVA secretary Bryce Gaton notes in our FAQ here, the electrical components that make up the motor, speed controller and batteries are rated to a minimum IP66 according to the IP (International Protection) rating system, which means they are “protected against strong jets of water”.
Bridie Schmidt is associate editor for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She has been writing about electric vehicles since 2018, and has a keen interest in the role that zero-emissions transport has to play in sustainability. She has participated in podcasts such as Download This Show with Marc Fennell and Shirtloads of Science with Karl Kruszelnicki and is co-organiser of the Northern Rivers Electric Vehicle Forum. Bridie also owns a Tesla Model Y and has it available for hire on evee.com.au.