Electric Cars: The Basics
For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:
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The Volvo S60 Recharge Plug-In Hybrid Saloon
Sweden has created its fair share of global brands, but none with a reputation as good as Volvo Cars, when it comes to passenger safety. Volvo cars is an automotive manufacturer based in Gothenburg, Sweden. The Volvo Group has a long history of success and was established in 1927.
Since then the company has had multiple owners, to include the US based, Ford Motor Company. Its current owner is a Chinese automotive behemoth, Geely Automobile, which acquired Volvo Cars in 2010. Geely also owns the automotive brands Lotus Cars and Polestar.
The automotive manufacturer has an ambition to achieve 50% sales from pure electric cars and the remaining 50% from plug-in hybrid electric cars by 2025. The company is also committed to becoming ‘climate neutral’ across the value chain by 2040. The Volvo electric vehicle (EV) current portfolio includes:
- C40 Recharge Pure Electric Crossover
- Volvo EX30 Pure Electric SUV
- EX90 Pure Electric SUV
- XC40 Recharge Pure Electric SUV
- XC40 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid SUV
- XC60 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid SUV
- XC90 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid SUV
- S60 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid Saloon
- S90 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid Saloon
- V60 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid Estate
- V90 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid Estate
The Volvo S60 conventional petrol and diesel saloon variants have been available since 2000. As with other Volvo models, the company has also introduced the S60 as a lower tailpipe-emission plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). In late 2021, the PHEV was upgraded.
The updated Volvo S60 Recharge PHEV has much to offer families and company-car drivers seeking practicality and lower motoring costs. The upgrade of the onboard EV battery has positioned this saloon electric car, as one of the few EVs capable of delivering a real-world emission-free electric range close to 80 km.
The Volvo S60 plug-in electric car has a 18.8 kWh onboard EV battery, with a claimed zero-emission electric range up to 90 km (WLTP certified). This is certainly impressive, given the average EV range of a PHEV (40 km). However, the real-world EV range will be lower, impacted by a number of factors, to include: driving profile, speed, passenger load, weather, road condition and more. Assuming a 75 km emission-free electric range is more realistic, which still remains impressive and can be leveraged for city and motorway driving.
If your driving is predominantly motorway and long-distances, dependent on the internal combustion engine (ICE), it would be a challenge to truly leverage the benefits of zero-tailpipe emission electric driving. However, if the majority of your travel is shorter distances, then the e-mode will certainly prove to be useful in saving money. Do keep in mind that the average distance travelled a day is a mere 50 km!
Volvo claims a fuel economy up to an incredible 0.9 l/100 km. But achieving anything close to this claimed figure, will require using the onboard electric motor, powered by the EV battery on a regular basis. As is the case with the real-world electric range, expect the real-world fuel economy to be less efficient than the manufacturer claimed figures.
Having said that, the using of the pure electric range will help deliver a far better fuel economy for the vehicle, compared to the conventional S60 petrol engine variant. In any case, both, the EV range and fuel economy of the upgraded Volvo S60 saloon PHEV position it as class-leading.
Equally impressive is the updated tailpipe emissions data. Volvo claims tailpipe emissions as low as 17g (CO2/km), benefiting the local air quality. The conventional petrol variant has tailpipe emissions up to 153g CO2/km.
Despite the updates, it is disappointing to note that the PHEV does not offer DC charging. The EV has a 3.6 kW onboard charger. The Volvo electric vehicle can be charged 0% to 100% via a dedicated EV charging station in 5 hours. We at e-zoomed recommend a ‘topping up’ approach to EV charging. This way, EV range is available to use and regular charging also improves the long-term maintenance of the onboard EV battery. Volvo offers a 8 years or 160,000 km warranty.
The all-wheel drive S60 plug-in electric saloon car combines the T8 powertrain with an electric motor. The EV can achieve 0-100 km/h in 4.6 seconds (455 hp). The top speed of the EV is 180 km/h.
Despite the placement of the onboard EV battery, the EV is practical. The S60 plug-in offers a 391 L boot and ample space, headroom and legroom for passengers. The interior has been finished to a high standard and offers leather free upholstery and recycled carpets. It also offers a generous level of standard equipment, safety features and technology. These include: google built in, 360° camera, BLIS and cross traffic alert, keyless entry and keyless start, advanced air purifier, intelligent safety assistance and more.
Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet!
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Impressive emission-free electric range (90 km) | Not capable of DC charging |
| Good fuel economy | Onboard charger limited to 3.6 kW |
| Ultra-low tailpipe emissions (17g CO2/km) | Cheaper alternatives available |
Gallery
The Volvo S60 Recharge Plug-In Hybrid Saloon (credit: Volvo)
| At A Glance | |
|---|---|
| EV Type: | Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) |
| Body Type: | Saloon |
| Engine: | Petrol/ Electric |
| Available In Ireland: | No |
| Variants (2 Options) |
|---|
| Volvo S60 Recharge Plus (from € N/A) |
| Volvo S60 Recharge Ultimate (from € N/A) |
| EV Battery & Emissions | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Type: | Lithium-ion |
| EV Battery Capacity: | Available in one battery size: 18.8 kWh |
| Charging: | DC charging not available. Onboard charger: 3.6 kW AC (0% – 100%: 5 hrs) |
| Charge Port: | Type 2 |
| EV Cable Type: | Type 2 |
| Tailpipe Emissions: | 17g (CO2/km) |
| Battery Warranty: | 8 years or 160,000 km |
| Average Cost Of Residential Charging | |
|---|---|
| Battery net capacity : 8.8 kWh | € 2.10 |
| Battery net capacity : 11.6 kWh | € 2.78 |
| Battery net capacity : 12.0 kWh | € 2.87 |
| Battery net capacity : 13.10 kWh | € 3.14 |
| Battery net capacity : 14.10 kWh | € 3.37 |
- Note 1: The average cost of residential electricity in Ireland varies depending on the region, supplier and type of energy used. An average for Ireland is 23.97 cents/kWh.
- Note 2: Not all EV manufactures make available the data on net EV battery capacity, and in a number of instances the EV battery capacity advertised, does not state if it is gross or net capacity. In general, usable EV battery capacity is between 85% to 95% of the gross available capacity.
| 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) |
- Note 1: SoC: state-of-charge
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Height (mm): | 1437 |
| Width (mm): | 1850 |
| Length (mm): | 4761 |
| Wheelbase (mm): | 2872 |
| Turning Circle (m): | 11.4 |
| Boot Space (L): | 391 |
| Volvo S60 Plug-in Hybrid (T8 AWD plug-in hybrid) | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Capacity: | 18.8 kWh |
| Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 90 km |
| Electric Energy Consumption (kWh/100 km): | 17.3 |
| Fuel Consumption (l/100 km): | 0.9 |
| Charging: | DC charging not available. Onboard charger: 3.6 kW AC (0% – 100%: 5 hrs) |
| Top Speed: | 180 km/h |
| 0-100 km/h: | 4.6 seconds |
| Drive: | All-wheel drive (AWD) |
| Electric Motor (kW): | N/A |
| Horsepower (hp): | 455 |
| Torque (Nm): | 400 |
| Transmission: | Automatic |
| Seats: | 5 |
| Doors: | 4 |
| Gross Vehicle Weight (kg): | 2,500 |
| Colours: | 8 |
| NCAP Safety Rating: | Five-Star |
History Of Electric Cars: Quick Facts
| An electric vehicle (EV), also referred to as a battery-electric vehicle (BEV) is not a new invention or even an invention of modern times. Indeed, EVs were first developed more than a 100 years ago in the 19th century. Inventors from various countries, to include European countries and the United States, were the first to invest in electric motors and batteries. The first practical electric cars were built in the second half of the nineteenth century, with the first US electric car introduced in 1890. |
| Electric vehicles came into prominence in the early 1900’s, a time when horse-drawn carriages were the primary mode of transportation. Archived black and white photographs from that period show famous avenues like Madison Avenue in New York city filled with horse-drawn carriages. In stark contrast, a similar photograph taken a decade later of Madison Avenue showed not a single horse-drawn carriage. Instead the avenue was filled with motor vehicles, a new invention. It was the beginning of man’s love affair with cars that has lasted more than a century and still going strong. |
| However, the uptake of electric vehicles in the early 20th century was short-lived, as gasoline powered vehicles propelled by internal combustion engines (ICE) become the preferred mode of transportation. Bottom-line, manufactures chose internal combustion engines over electric cars in the early 1900s for various reasons, to include, the costs and production volumes. |
| It is not definitive as to where EVs were invented or to credit a single inventor. However, one known electric motor (small-scale) was created in 1828 by Anyos Jedlik, a Hungarian inventor, engineer, physicist and Benedictine priest. Hungarians and Slovaks still consider him to be the unsung hero of the electric motor. |
| Shortly after, between 1832 and 1839, a Scottish inventor Robert Anderson created a large electric motor to drive a carriage, powered by non-rechargeable primary power cells. Through the 19th century a number of inventors were inspired to develop electric motors to include, Thomas Davenport, an American from Vermont credited with building the first DC electric motor in America (1834). Unlike many of his contemporaries and other trying to build electric motors, Davenport did not have a background in either engineering or physics. In fact, he was a blacksmith. |
| Move forward a few decades and at the end of the 19th century, William Morrison created what is believed to be the first practical electric vehicle. Morrison, another American from Des Moines, Iowa, was a chemist who became interested in electricity. He build the first electric vehicle in 1887 in a carriage built by the Des Moines Buggy Co. His first attempt was not a great success. In 1890, he attempted again, with more success. 12 EVs were built using a carriage built by the Shaver Carriage Company. |
| The batteries were designed and developed by William Morrison. The vehicle had 24 batteries with an output of 112 amperes at 58 volts that took 10 hours to recharge. Available horsepower just under 4 horsepower. The vehicle could accommodate 6 individuals and had a top speed of 14 mph (22.50 km/h). |
| Morrison’s success led to others also developing large-scale practical electric cars. At the turn of the century cities like New York had 60 electric taxis. The first decade witnessed strong popularity for electric vehicles. However the popularity was short-lived as internal combustion engine (ICE) gasoline powered vehicles replaced the early electric vehicles. Henry Fords success with the then ubiquitous Ford Model T was the ‘beginning of the end’ for electric vehicles. The Model T was cheaper than the prevailing electric cars (US$ 650 Vs US$ 1,750) and could be manufactured at scale. As they say — the rest is history. |
While e-zoomed uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information, some of the information provided is gathered from third parties and has not been independently verified by e-zoomed. While the information from the third party sources is believed to be reliable, no warranty, express or implied, is made by e-zoomed regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of this information.
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