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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How Much Does It Cost To Charge An Electric Car At Home: The Complete Guide For Ireland
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The Volvo S90 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 S90 conventional petrol and diesel saloon variants have been available since 2016. The first generation (Volvo 900 Series) were manufactured between 1990 and 1998. The S90 saloon was launched in 2016 at the International Auto Show in Detroit. The vehicle was given a facelift in 2020.
As with other Volvo models, the company has also introduced the S90 as a lower emission plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). In fact, Volvo has stopped selling the conventional petrol variant, for this mid-sized executive saloon car.
Without an iota of doubt, the Volvo S90 Recharge PHEV has a compelling proposition, for both private and company-car drivers. The S90 electric vehicle (EV) has a 18.8 kWh onboard EV battery, with a claimed emission-free electric range up to 88 km. Even, adjusting for real-world driving, the S90 plug-in electric car should be able to deliver close to 75 km on pure electric mode. This is above average, compared to other plug-in hybrid electric cars, which tend to deliver less than 50 zero-emission km.
Given the excellent EV range, most families and company-car drivers, can take advantage of the e-mode to lower motoring bills. Depending on where and when the electric car is charged, the cost per km on electric mode will be between 5 cents and 10 cents. Using the Volvo mid-sized saloon electric car for city and motorway driving, can achieve real financial savings.
The Volvo S90 PHEV, further strengthens its ultra-low cost motoring, with ultra-low tailpipe emissions. The automotive manufacturer claims tailpipe emissions as low as 18g CO2/km, which certainly will help reduce the local air pollution. Of course, driving on e-mode i.e. using the electric motor and onboard EV battery, will result in zero-tailpipe emissions. Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and good for the wallet.
However, the Volvo plug-in electric car disappoints in terms of charging capability. The EV has an onboard charger limited to 3.6 kW and is not capable of DC charging. For the price tag and EV battery size, we would have expected DC charging capability and an onboard charger up to 7.4 kW.
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.
Despite the placement of the onboard EV battery, practicality has not been compromised. The S90 plug-in offers a 461 L boot and ample space for passengers. The luxurious interior has been finished to a high standard and offers sustainable materials for the cabin. The EV 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.
The all-wheel drive S90 plug-in electric saloon car combines the T8 powertrain with an electric motor. The EV can achieve 0-100 km/h in 4.8 seconds (455 hp). The top speed of the EV is 180 km/h. Decent performance for city and motorway driving.
Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet!
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Very useful electric range (88 km) to lower motoring costs | Cheaper PHEV options available |
| High quality interior with a good level of standard equipment | Not capable of DC charging |
| Good fuel economy (0.9 l/100km) | Onboard charger limited to 3.6 kW |
Gallery
The Volvo S90 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 S90 Recharge Plus (from € N/A) |
| Volvo S90 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: | 18g (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): | 1446 |
| Width (mm): | 1895 |
| Length (mm): | 4963 |
| Wheelbase (mm): | 2941 |
| Turning Circle (m): | 11.4 |
| Boot Space (L): | 461 |
| Volvo S90 Plug-in Hybrid (T8 AWD plug-in hybrid) | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Capacity: | 18.8 kWh |
| Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 88 km |
| Electric Energy Consumption (kWh/100km): | 17.5 |
| Fuel Consumption (l/100km): | 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: | 4.8 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): | 2,590 |
| Colours: | 7 |
| NCAP Safety Rating: | Five-Star |
Electric Vehicles (EVs): Jargons
There is no doubt, in that, for those new to electric driving, the terminology can be both daunting and confusing. We have chosen a few jargons to help you get more familiar with electric vehicles (EVs)! We also recommend reading our article ‘Electric Car Jargon Buster‘ for a more comprehensive list of terms.
| Glossary: Electric Vehicles (EVs) | |
|---|---|
| Alternating Current (AC): | What is alternating current? Though we may not be familiar with this term, we use alternating current everyday in our homes to power our appliances! Alternating current is a type of electric current, in which the direction of the flow of ‘electrons’ switches back and forth at regular intervals or cycles. When an electric car is charged at home, the type of electric current used, is alternating current. |
| Direct Current (DC): | What is direct current? Direct current (DC) is a type of electric current that flows in only one direction i.e. uni-directional. DC enables the constant flow of electrons from an area of high electron density to an area of low electron density. DC is quite common in our day-to-day lives. Many of the appliances we use on a regular basis that are operated by batteries, use DC. A mobile phone, a laptop, a torch light etc. In electric cars, the onboard EV battery also uses direct current to store energy. |
| Internal Combustion Engine Vehicle (ICEV): | What is an internal combustion engine car? Put simply, conventional petrol and diesel vehicles are powered by an internal combustion engine (ICE). These vehicles ‘combust’ fuel with the help of an oxidizer (typically oxygen from the air). These vehicles mostly use fossil fuels, like petrol, diesel, jet fuel etc. These vehicles are characterised by high tailpipe emissions, which pollute the local air. |
| One-Pedal Driving: | What is one-pedal driving? In one-pedal driving, the EV slows down or stops, when the pedal is released. One-pedal functionality reduce the need to use the brake pedal, for speed reduction or stopping. Of course, the brake pedal is still the best way to hold a vehicle in place at a complete stop. |
| Smart EV Charger: | What is a smart EV charger? A smart or ‘intelligent’ electric car charger, is a type of EV charger that enables smart functionality, to include, more control by the user, and communication between the EV charging station, the operator, the utility and the national grid. |
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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