Johannesburg – Volvo is set to become one of the first major car makers in the world to go all-electric, with the Swedish company having set a 2030 deadline for this.
However, Volvo Cars South Africa is also very mindful that countries such as ours are going to lag behind when it comes to electrification and for that reason the firm sees plug-in hybrids as providing the ultimate bridge for customers. To that end, Volvo recently launched its XC60 T8 plug-in hybrid in South Africa, along with an improved version of its XC90 T8.
Of course, the carmaker has already launched its first all-electric car, the XC40 P8 Recharge, and we have little doubt that there are more to come.
To give us a taste of the electrified products that it has on offer, Volvo recently invited media members to try out its new range of plug-in hybrids as well as the all-electric XC40 P8 Recharge.
It was the latter that we jumped into first during the launch event, held in the Sandton area this week, and its performance proved to be a pleasant surprise.
The XC40 P8 is powered by two electric motors, one on each axle, that provide all-wheel drive capability and system outputs of 304kW and 660Nm. Volvo claims a 0-100km/h time of 4.9 seconds, but because of its instantaneous torque delivery right from the word go, it actually feels even faster than that number suggests. Granted, it’s not quite a Tesla, but the P8 will certainly push you back in your seat under hard acceleration.
Carrying a price tag of R1.2 million, the XC40 P8 is not cheap, but it’s also no more expensive than the most basic petrol-engined XC90 and for that money you’re getting performance that is nothing short of thrilling.
Due to the relatively short test route, as we had to get through a number of cars on day, we weren’t able to test how far it goes on a charge, but for what it’s worth, Volvo claims a range of 418km. Plugged into a fast charger, 80% of its battery capacity can be replenished in 40 minutes, the company says.
Getting to know the hybrids
After getting acquainted with Volvo’s little EV, we stepped into the larger XC60 T8 plug-in hybrid, which is priced from R1 218 900.
As with its bigger XC90 brother, Volvo refers to this model as a ‘twin engine’ and that’s because it’s powered by both a 2.0-litre turbocharged and supercharged petrol engine, which produces 233kW and 400Nm, and an electric motor that’s capable of 107kW and 309Nm.
Being a luxurious hybrid SUV you won’t immediately think of this as a performance vehicle, but it really, really is. Although it’s not quite as fast off the mark as the all-electric XC40, it does beat its smaller sibling to 100km/h, taking just 4.8 seconds, and putting it into the same league as the Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 4Matic and BMW X3 M40i.
Read more about the XC60 T8 here.
Of course there is a consumption advantage here too as Volvo claims an all-electric range of 81km.
But when we’re talking plug-in hybrids and fuel consumption there is an elephant in the room that we need to address. According to the official European test cycle, the XC60 T8 boasts a combined fuel consumption figure of 1.6 litres per 100km, but in the real world that figure is utterly meaningless as it’s done over a set mileage of which most is within the battery’s range. If you keep your daily commutes within the battery range, and make the effort to charge up as needed, then you’ll use no fuel at all. But when it comes to covering longer distances you’re probably going to use close to what a normal petrol-engined model would. Sure, there is still that hybrid advantage, with regenerative braking and all that, but this is counteracted by the relatively heavy 18.8 kWh battery that has to be lugged around.
We also got some wheel time in the recently revised Volvo XC90 T8 Recharge plug-in hybrid, which is priced at R1 560 000. Featuring a similar powertrain to the XC60 equivalent, with total system outputs of 340kW and 709Nm, it can sprint from 0-100km/h in 5.3 seconds, according to claims. But the seven-seat XC90 is very much about wafty comfort and that old ‘rides like a cloud’ cliche really applies here.
Volvo has made some impressive improvements to the battery, which has increased in capacity from 11.6 kWh to 18.8 kWh, extending the claimed all-electric range to 77km.
But do hybrids ultimately make sense then?
In our opinion, it all comes down to context. If you do most of your driving in the city (within the vehicle’s electric range) and you’re willing and able to plug it in whenever Eskom allows, then it could make sense on some level. Although given our country’s reliance on coal power, you’d ideally have to hook it up to solar power to make it a truly green option.
If, however, you’re one of those people who do regular long-distance driving, a plug-in hybrid is probably not going to make much sense because ultimately you’ll spend most of your driving time lugging around a heavy battery with a petrol engine.
But if you’re in the former camp, a plug-in hybrid makes some real sense, arguably more so than a fully-electric vehicle because you still have the petrol engine as a back-up for longer trips such as your December holiday. That said, XC40 P8 customers do get the complimentary use of an internal combustion car from Volvo for two weeks a year, for the first three years of ownership.
“A plug-in hybrid is an attractive first step for South Africans who are considering making the switch to electric,” explains Volvo Car South Africa MD Greg Maruszewski.
“The average premium car owner travels less than 50km daily, so most local Volvo XC90 T8 Recharge plug-in hybrid drivers will be able to do their daily motoring on pure electric power,” he adds.
It really comes down to context then.
IOL Motoring
Keyword: Do plug-in hybrids make sense? We try out the Volvo XC60 and XC90 T8s, and XC40 EV