Discover The Volvo Electric and Plug-In Hybrid Range

At Caffyns Volvo In Eastbourne & Worthing

The Volvo range offers a fantastic choice of pure electric and plug-in hybrid cars, designed to offer low or zero tailpipe emissions along with stunning design, latest technologies and sustainable materials. Safety has always been at the core of Volvo's values and this is still true, bringing the safest chargeable vehicles to the road.

Find out more below about the difference between pure electric and plug-in hybrid and discover which model will suit your lifestyle best

Let's Start At The Beginning...What Is An EV?

EV is an acronym for Electric Vehicle and refers to a car that is either fully or partially operating through electric power. EV's have much fewer moving parts compared to a normal car, therefore dramatically reducing maintenance costs over time. The two main types of EV's are:

Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV)

A BEV is an exclusively electric-powered vehicle, commonly referred to as a "pure" or 100% electric car, operating solely on electricity. These types of cars rely on external power sources, such as charge points, to recharge their batteries. As a result, they do not emit any pollutants or emissions from their tailpipes.

Plug - In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)

This vehicle incorporates a battery, electric drive motor, and an internal combustion engine (ICE). It offers the flexibility to operate using either the ICE, the electric motor, or a combination of both, and can be replenished using an external power source.

Why Should You Consider Switching To An Electric Vehicle?

Less Costs When Travelling In London

No congestion charges for cars that emit less than 75G/Km of CO2, which would normally cost £15 per day! Plus, EVs are allowed to enter Ultra Low Emission Zones for free in the North & South Circular.

Requires Less Servicing

Electric vehicles tend to be cheaper to maintain than petrol or diesel cars as there are fewer moving parts. This means there is less to go wrong. Electric vehicles need servicing at least every 2 years.

Better For The Environment

We all need to make small changes to make a big difference, and owning an electric car can really help to reduce emissions and make the air cleaner.

Reduced Car Tax

Hybrid and fully electric cars benefit from very low road tax rates due to them having no tailpipe emissions!

Kinder On Your Wallet

Electric cars are much cheaper to run, especially when you can charge at home during periods of time when electricity is at its cheapest. This means you could be saving a lot of money over time!

Continuous Improvement On Range

With Volvo continuing to improve their technology, our EVs can come with great range. For example, the EX40 has a test value range of up to 339 miles!

Fantastic To Drive

Volvo electric cars are great to drive. Quiet, plenty of space and minimal vibration. We have a range of models that can suit you at any stage of your life.

Easy Access To Charging

The number of charging points continues to increase across the country making it even easier for people to charge their EVs. As well as this, there are at home charging options.

What is a Pure Electric Model?

Our pure electric models offer zero tailpipe emissions and the bonus of less noise at all speeds. Powered by a high-voltage battery and dual electric motors, you can still enjoy the same exceptional levels of performance you expect from a Volvo.

Recycled and bio-based materials are also used when possible, with an effort to minimise waste. Plus, with the ability to travel up to 273 miles on a single charge and Google built in, there's no need to compromise on your adventures.

What is a Plug-in Hybrid Model?

Our plug-in hybrid models are designed to ensure less petrol is used but at the same time giving you more freedom. Our plug-in hybrids consist of an electric motor and combustion engine, which work together to offer a choice of pure electric mode, power mode and hybrid mode.

Energy created when braking is harnessed and stored in the battery for future use, providing an even more sustainable drive. Using the Volvo Cars app you can monitor average fuel consumption, battery charge levels and use of electricity compared with fuel.

Which option is right for me?

Frequent Access to Charging

If you park in a garage or on a driveway at home, or even a spot with charging access at work, both pure electric and plug-in hybrid cars are great options.

Occasional Access to Charging

If you only have occasional access to a charging point, a plug-in hybrid car may offer greater flexibility as it can run on fuel when you're unable to charge. Pure electric may still be a good option depending on your driving patterns.

Reliant on Public Charging

When relying on short-term public charging such as in supermarket carparks or at the gym, a plug-in hybrid may fit your lifestyle best. A mild-hybrid could also be an excellent fit, as it captures braking energy but doesn't need to be plugged in.

Charging Explained

AC / DC

Alternating Current (AC) and Direct Current (DC) are the two types of power that can be used in charging. The power we get from the grid is always AC, but the battery's found in EV's can only store power as DC.

The converter for charging is built into the car. It will convert your AC power to DC power and delivers it to the car battery. This is the most common type of charging you will find today in a home Wallbox charger and at many charging stations.

The difference between AC and DC charging is where the AC power is then converted. A DC charger has the converter inside the charging station, therefore the DC charge is sent directly to your cars battery without the onboard charger having to change it. DC chargers are much faster than AC chargers meaning a much lower wait time. DC Rapid Chargers can be found at many petrol / service stations and can charge some EVs to 80% capacity in as little as 30 minutes!

kWh & kW Explained

The battery inside a fully electric car stores units of electricity, kWh specifically, meaning Kilowatt-hour, equalling 1 unit of electricity. The has a battery capacity of up to 69, meaning it can store 69 units of electricity when fully charged.

kW is short for Kilowatt. A kW is a measurement of how much electricity is needed to make a device operate.

An example of kW: One of the Pod Point EV chargers at Tesco has a power rating of 22kW. This means a lot more electricity can go through the charger and into your EV compared to a charger that may only have a power rating of 7kW. The higher the kW, the faster the charging time.

Types of Charging

AC Charging with Household Connector

A standard 220V household connector offers a typical charging rate of 7 - 14 km of range per hour. It is best suited for overnight charging of a plug-in hybrid. For fastest and most convenient at home charging for hybrid and electric, installing a wallbox is recommended.

AC Fast Charging / Wallbox

The fastest way to charge your pure electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle at home, charging around 50 - 60 km per hour, taking on average 3 - 4 hours to fully charge a plug-in hybrid. This type of charging is also most common at many public charging stations.

DC Fast Charging

DC fast charging is only available at public charging stations and used mainly for pure electric cars, on long journeys when time is limited. It uses a much higher voltage and cost is significantly higher. In 10 minutes you can gain up to 150 km of range.

Charging a Pure Electric Car

We recommend AC charging the battery up to 90 percent for typical daily driving and not letting it fall below 20 percent for optimum use. You'll likely only need to top up the charge throughout the week.

40 min – 2 h
With DC fast charging (50–150kW)

8 – 10 h
With 11kW AC fast charging/wallbox

Charging a Plug-in Hybrid Car

Regularly charging the battery to 100% is the best way to make the most of your hybrid vehicle and enjoy the best range. With the fuel engine also present, the charge can get low without worry.

3 – 4 h
With 3.6kW AC fast charging/wallbox

4 – 8 h
With AC charging 220V household connector

Range Anxiety?

One thing that may be playing on your mind when considering an EV is range anxiety. What range will I get from my car? What about the motorway or if I want to go on holiday? Can an EV handle all of that?

The answer is yes! But there are many different factors that can impact range, therefore it is important that as an owner of an EV, you are knowledgeable about your car, what it is capable of doing and what factors will effect its range. Some of these factors may be unavoidable at times, but by being aware, you can be more prepared for whatever life journeys you may be heading on...

All car manufactures must legally declare what their EV's standard range will be in compliance with the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP). WLTP only considers the EV's driving, and doesn't consider the other factors that could impact range.

Factors Impacting Range

Battery Size

The size of your battery and the capacity of it will be the biggest factor to determine your EVs range. The amount of electricity it is capable of storing will reflect on how many miles you are expected to get from it.

Road & Weather Conditions

Your EV will use more electricity when powering along bumpy or hilly roads. As well as this, the car will be working harder in poor weather conditions such as snow, therefore theses factors will decrease your battery's range quicker.

Air Conditioning

The use of cooling or heating air will draw more power from your EV, therefore impacting its range. In the height of summer or winter your car may require more frequent charging due to the increased use of air conditioning.

Not Thinking Ahead

Not preconditioning your EV when there is much colder weather can decrease its range. When your car is charging, it is a good idea to preheat your EV as it will warm up using the power from the charging, not from the battery. Starting off on a cold battery could mean that a couple of miles actually cost you a lot more.

There are other factors as well that will impact your EVs range the exact same way a petrol or diesel cars fuel consumption would be affected. Tyre quality and pressure will affect your range, as well as your style of driving. Harsh braking or frequent full acceleration will require more power therefore decreasing your EV's range quicker. The weight inside the car will also affect the range, but despite all these factors, EV's can still achieve an impressive range. Looking after your car and maintaining it well by looking after the tyres and servicing it when needed will all help to keep your EV in tip top condition.

Main Take Away:

Try to plan ahead and always consider the factors that could impact your range. If you are going on holiday and using your EV to travel far, consider the extra cargo that may decrease your maximum range. Find out where you can stop off to charge (if needed), so that you feel confident on your journey, and most importantly enjoy the drive without worry.

Discover The Volvo Plug - In Hybrid & Electric Range

EX30

EX40

XC40

EC40

XC60

XC90

EX90

V60

V90

New ES90

New EX60

_{*This does not cover the normal gradual capacity loss expected from all lithium batteries.}

Volvo Eastbourne

Volvo Worthing