Volvo has a game changer in the EV market: fastest sprinting Volvo ever under R1m

[TurboLlew]

Good review

Is anyone else who was about to buy an Electric car now on the fence again now that we know the "Solid state battery tech" is more EV propaganda/vapourware that is going to come out around the same time as 'cold fusion' at this rate?

Seems like there is a lot of talk about hydrogen again as well, which I have long been a fan of...

I am curious about the electric steering comments: Does the 981 not have a hydraulic system with an electric pump (instead of a belt driven/crank powered pump)? So the steering feel on a full steer-by-wire (I am assuming what is on the Volvo) feels better than an EPS/hydraulic setup? part of my curiosity is that everyone criticises electric steering by virtue of it 'not being analogue' as the internet loves to point out these days: but I haven't had a problem with the electric pumps in cars I've had before (S2000 onwards actually) and neither have I had issue with steer-by-wire cars I've driven either. They are just each a bit 'different'. Sometimes even just changing a few alignment settings can change steering feel on-centre (eg: with the full 'manual' steering in the 4C).

Would love to see a polestar roadster type thing with these powertrains in it.

 

[MR_Y]

Good review

Is anyone else who was about to buy an Electric car now on the fence again now that we know the "Solid state battery tech" is more EV propaganda/vapourware that is going to come out around the same time as 'cold fusion' at this rate?

Seems like there is a lot of talk about hydrogen again as well, which I have long been a fan of...

I am curious about the electric steering comments: Does the 981 not have a hydraulic system with an electric pump (instead of a belt driven/crank powered pump)? So the steering feel on a full steer-by-wire (I am assuming what is on the Volvo) feels better than an EPS/hydraulic setup? part of my curiosity is that everyone criticises electric steering by virtue of it 'not being analogue' as the internet loves to point out these days: but I haven't had a problem with the electric pumps in cars I've had before (S2000 onwards actually) and neither have I had issue with steer-by-wire cars I've driven either. They are just each a bit 'different'. Sometimes even just changing a few alignment settings can change steering feel on-centre (eg: with the full 'manual' steering in the 4C).

Would love to see a polestar roadster type thing with these powertrains in it.

The 981 steering was the first electric setup in the Cayman/Boxster. Not sure of the tech specs, but it was poor in comparison with the hydraulic 987. The 718 (or 981.2) was a definite step up from the 981 steering - I think the 718 is also electric, but has better calibration for feel/weight especially around centre point. On the 981 forums, guys are playing with retrofitting 718 components/software to get the 718 feel on the 981. To complicate matters, it seems that the 981 GT4 had a different setup from the vanilla 981 cars.

I wouldn't call the standard 981 steering terrible, but it did exhibit vaguness around centre point. Interestingly, my 981 Boxster had slightly better feeling steering compared to my 981 Cayman S - I assume because the Boxster was optioned with adaptive steering (Power Steering Plus).

Anyway, I was impressed with the feel of the EX30 steering. It could be the settings that the salesman set up before I drove the car - it is fakery, but very real feeling fakery 😂

 

[MR_Y]

Edit:

I had a chat with the salesman on the car's set up. Besides the steering mode, which firms up the steering, there is a further sport mode that sharpens up everything (including steering to a Plus level). This mode seems to only be available in the top spec AWD cars.

The only downside is that it kills the range significantly. To save power, the non-sport settings need to be set up and that, I assume, kills all joy and driving feel.

 

[Budleigh]

Nice review. If they'd made it a small sporty car, then people would complain that they can't fit their offspring and gargantuan child seat/three of their Harlem Globetrotter friends in the back. The reason everything looks like an SUV is that product clinics are overdetermined by parent-types and the desire people have for "practicality" they will never make use of. /rant

Sent from my SM-S901E using Tapatalk

 

[Solo Man]

We are going on the 6th for a test drive in the Volvo. My son has an I-Pace so should be interesting to hear his input. He is actually very interested in the Volvo as the real world range is hopefully better than the I-Pace which has about 300km actual range. As he has a home charger with solar he only charges when the sun shines, so free electricity for the people.

 

[MR_Y]

We are going on the 6th for a test drive in the Volvo. My son has an I-Pace so should be interesting to hear his input. He is actually very interested in the Volvo as the real world range is hopefully better than the I-Pace which has about 300km actual range. As he has a home charger with solar he only charges when the sun shines, so free electricity for the people.

The iPace is larger and has a better laid out interior. It feels more premium inside.

To get the best driving experience out of the EX30, the brake regeneration (one-peddle-drive) must be switched off and the sport settings put to max. However, that will kill range...

If he needs space, then the XC40 Recharge or C40 may be better suited, but those are quite pricey too.

 

[AceRally]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1788499965242757516