Plug-In Hybrids Archives

All Volvo PHEVs registered since 2015 now also entitled to extended battery warranty

Besides range anxiety – the concern about how far you can go on a fully charged battery pack – has been on the minds of people who consider hybrids or electric vehicles, the other issue has also been the cost of the battery pack itself. In the early years, when the technology was still young, battery packs were very expensive and discouraged many people. But there has been constant advancement of the technologies, along with prices coming down, although they still are much more expensive than the small batteries that you see in the engine bay.

The battery packs have generally been reliable and how long they last has depended on many factors, both environmental as well as driving. It’s like batteries in laptops or mobilephones – some people enjoy a long service life while others may have to replace them within a couple of years when they cannot hold their charge properly.

PHEVs sold since December 2015 are covered
To give customers peace of mind, many companies have offered longer warranties on the battery packs. Volvo Car Malaysia announced its extended warranty in March 2020 but the coverage was only for models in its Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) range registered from January 1, 2020.

Now the company has extended the coverage to all Volvo PHEVs purchased since December 3, 2015 when the XC90 T8 PHEV was launched in Malaysia. The company says that this has been prompted by ‘the enthusiastic response from customers and realising the positive impact that long-term electrification can bring to the environment’.

*The S60 T8 is one of the models in Volvo’s PHEV range.*

“As we continue our journey into sustainability, we are happy to announce this new, extended warranty coverage for our customers who have purchased any Volvo PHEVs since the launch of our first XC90 PHEV in Malaysia. This is our way of showing gratitude to the early adopters and also for those who are striving to make a more sustainable decision,” said Nalin Jain, MD of Volvo Car Malaysia.

The Volvo range of PHEVs for the Malaysian market consists of the S60 T8, XC60 T8, XC90 T8, and S90 T8. Prices range from RM295,888 to RM409,888 (excluding insurance).

Volvo’s new technology offers premium air quality inside the car

Record-breaking results in 2019 for Volvo, thanks to its SUV models

Volvo Cars was rather late in adding a SUV to its range, with its first model – the XC90 – launched only in 2002. The reason given for the delay was that it wanted to offer a SUV only when it could address known safety issues (like the effect on a tall body on handling) and resolve them. It had a strong reputation for safety, on which the brand’s strength grew, and it was not going to lose that. The XC90 certainly proved to be a SUV with innovative safety features like Roll-Over Protection which worked to counteract the risk of tipping over during hard cornering.

Volvo XC90 2002 — Volvo’s first SUV – the XC90 – was launched in 2002 after the carmaker addressed safety issues with innovations like Roll-Over Protection that reduced the risk of the tall SUV tipping over during hard cornering.

Like the other carmakers, Volvo Cars gave increasing attention to SUVs, expanding its range as the segment grew. 17 years later, its SUVs have helped the company gain market share in China, the USA and Europe amid stagnating car markets.

More significantly, in 2019, the Swedish carmaker set a new, sixth consecutive global sales record, breaking the 700,000-unit level for the first time in its 93-year history. 705,452 Volvo vehicles were delivered worldwide last year, an increase of 9.8% compared to 2018, solidly outgrowing the overall market across all regions.

During the past few years, Volvo has also been moving towards electrification of its range. It aims for plug-in hybrid models to make up 20% of total sales this year. Overall, Volvo sold 45,933 plug-in hybrid vehicles in 2019, an increase of 22.9% compared to 2018 and more than double the number in 2017.

Illustrating the strength of its portfolio and its sales performance in 2019, Volvo surpassed the previous full-year sales record of 642,253 cars, set in 2018, nearly a full month before the end of the year. December was the company’s best ever sales month, with a 23.4% year-on-year increase to 74,239 cars sold.

Sales by markets
In China, home of Volvo’s parent company, the brand sold 154,961 cars in 2019, an increase of 18.7% compared to 2018 and comfortably outperforming the overall market. The result was an all-time record for Volvo in China and the highest sales number it has ever reached in a single market.

*Volvo Cars manufacturing plant in China*

In the USA, a market that has usually been Volvo’s strongest customer, the 100,000-unit threshold was crossed for the first time since 2007 when 108,234 vehicles were registered by December 31. Compared to 2018, the sales increase was 10.1%.

European sales were particularly strong in Germany, where the company sold more than 50,000 vehicles for the first time in its history, while it achieved its best sales result since 1990 in the UK. Other markets that recorded their best ever sales performance in the company’s history included Australia, Belgium, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Korea, Poland and Portugal.

Sales by models
The XC60 SUV continued to be the best-selling model for the company globally, followed by the XC40 and XC90 SUVs. Sedans and stationwagons remained popular, adding to volume growth in China and Europe, respectively.

Volvo XC40 Recharge P8 — *The first Recharge model shares styling with the XC40 but is powered only by an electric motor.*

The company will introduce its Recharge line-up in markets around the globe. Recharge will be the umbrella name for all chargeable Volvos with a fully electric and plug-in hybrid powertrain. The Recharge car line aims to further boost sales of Volvo Cars’ chargeable cars and encourage plug-in hybrid drivers via incentives to use Pure mode as much as possible.

Every Volvo model already includes a Recharge option, from the XC40 SUV via the 60-Series cars to the large XC90 SUV flagship. Volvo is the only carmaker to offer a plug-in variant on every model in its line-up, with a fully-electric model – the XC40 Recharge P8 – to appear in showrooms in due course.

Volvo Cars and Geely to merge engine operations to create stand-alone business

Mercedes-Benz battery pack production facility in Thailand begins operations

With increasing emphasis on electrification of vehicles in the industry, demand for battery packs has also been accelerating. It is crucial that higher volumes be achieved in order to get economies of scale and push production costs down. Different manufacturers have different strategies to address this demand and for Mercedes-Benz, the approach taken is to establish a global battery production network.

Daimler is investing more than one billion euros in this global battery production network which will consist of 9 factories at 7 locations on 3 continents. Four factories have already started operations, with the most recent one being in Thailand.

100 million euros invested
The Thai production facility in the Bangkok region is a joint effort with local partners Thonburi Automotive Assembly Plant (TAAP) and Thonburi Energy Storage Systems (TESM). Mercedes-Benz AG has invested a total of more than 100 million euros in the battery production and a plant expansion of the existing vehicle production plant. In doing so, the partners are responding to the high demand for electric mobility and, in particular, for plug-in hybrid vehicles in Thailand. At the same time, they are driving the shift towards sustainable mobility as well as a carbon neutral and resource-efficient production.

The production facilities for plug-in hybrid battery packs are highly standardised and flexible. As a result, they can be adapted to local market conditions in a short time. “We have been successfully producing Mercedes-Benz vehicles for the local market at our Thai plant for more than 40 years. With the start of production of our battery factory in Bangkok, we are taking another important step in the expansion of our global battery production network at Mercedes-Benz Cars with nine factories worldwide. The local production of batteries enables us to make the best possible use of the potential for e-mobility in Thailand. As in the case of vehicle manufacturing, we have optimized all processes in terms of efficiency, flexibility and sustainability in the battery factory. We show how sustainable products can be produced sustainably,” said Jorg Burzer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz AG, Production and Supply Chain Management.

The battery packs are used for plug-in hybrid variants for the current Mercedes-Benz C-Class, E-Class, S-Class as well as for the Mercedes-Benz GLC and GLC Coupe. The high variety of product variants of the local market require very flexible and efficient production and facility concepts. Central assembly stations were set up in the same way as in the battery factory in Germany and were further developed for site-specific requirements. In this way, all battery types can be manufactured in the new line for all current and future plug-in hybrids.

*Mercedes-Benz C300e – one of the models which will use Thai-made battery packs*

Decision to locate in Thailand
The decision for a local battery production in Thailand supports Mercedes-Benz’s overall sustainability goals under the heading ‘Ambition2039’ as well. The aim is a carbon neutral new car fleet until 2039. By 2030, at least every second vehicle sold should have an electric drive – this includes full-electric vehicles and Plug-In hybrids.

On the way to sustainable mobility, apart from products production plays a central role: All European Mercedes-Benz plants are to produce completely carbon neutral from 2022. The battery factory in Bangkok will meet this requirement by using large solar systems on the roofs of the production buildings. Excess solar power, for example, is temporarily stored in so-called 2nd-life battery storage systems from recycled electric vehicle batteries. The plant works closely with the Mercedes-Benz Energy GmbH. The stationary storage systems, which can compensate for local energy fluctuations and contribute significantly to grid stabilization, enable economical and resource-saving reuse for disused batteries of electric and hybrid vehicles. This is an important contribution to the economic efficiency and environmental balance of electric vehicles.

Besides Mercedes-Benz, the BMW Group has also chosen Thailand to produce battery packs. Its facility is a joint investment with the DRAXLMAIER Group worth 500 million baht (about RM69 million).

Mercedes-Benz is the world’s most valuable luxury car brand of 2019

Explosions that prevent electric shocks in electric vehicles after accidents

Explosions are normally associated with something negative or bad as they generate a lot of energy which can be damaging. However, there are also some explosions which can save lives – these are tiny explosions which reduce the risk of electric shocks after a vehicle has an accident.

With more and more electric cars on the road, many drivers are increasingly uncertain what they should do or not do in the event of a collision. Electric motors also present rescue crews with new challenges. In fact, like any other vehicle, electric vehicles are equipped with safety features for such events.

Deactivating electrical circuits right away
For example, Bosch semiconductors help prevent the risk of electric shock after an accident. Specially designed microchips deactivate the vehicle’s power circuits in a fraction of a second. This enables rescue crews to set to work immediately and ensures that first responders and the vehicle’s occupants remain safe.

“Our semiconductor technology plays a vital role in the safety of hybrid and electric vehicles,” said Jens Fabrowsky, Member of the executive management of Bosch’s Automotive Electronics division. Bosch supplies vehicle manufacturers with semiconductor chips for incorporation in special systems that safely disconnect the battery in the event of a collision.

“Faced with the growing number of electric vehicles that could potentially be involved in collisions, such systems are absolutely essential if we are to fulfil our mission of helping and rescuing victims of road accidents as rapidly and safely as possible,” added Karl-Heinz Knorr, Vice-President of the German firefighters association.

Higher voltage than home electrical outlets
For a lot of people, damaged cables as the result of an accident are a cause for concern: the current from the battery pack could leak into the metal bodywork of a hybrid or all-electric car. After all, these batteries are designed to deliver a voltage of 400 to 800 volts (the voltage from your home electrical outlet is 240 volts and that’s already dangerous). But they can rest assured because Bosch semiconductor chips ensure that the high-voltage battery is automatically disconnected, so that nobody at the scene of the accident – vehicle occupants, rescue crews, first responders – comes into contact with current-carrying components.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class PHEV — *New models like the Mercedes-Benz A-Class Plug-In Hybrid variant have a lot of high-voltage cables and systems which must be shut down to avoid causing harm to rescuers.*

The semiconductor devices are part of a pyrotechnical safety switch system, or pyrofuse. These systems ‘blow out’ whole sections of the cable connection to the high-voltage battery by means of miniature explosive charges, thus quickly and effectively shutting off the power circulation. Bosch semiconductors play a decisive role in these systems. If, for example, the airbag sensor detects an impact, the tiny devices – measuring no more than ten by ten millimetres and weighing just a few grams – trigger the pyrofuse. This sets off little explosions that drive a wedge into the high-voltage cable between the battery unit and the power electronics, disconnecting the two. By cutting off the flow of current this way, the risk of electric shock or fire is eliminated.

Reliability in millions of applications
The CG912 integrated airbag system IC used in the pyrofuse system is an application-specific integrated circuit or ASIC. The specific application in this case is automotive safety. “Our ASICs, which are no bigger than a fingernail and yet populated with millions of transistors, are custom-designed to activate safety functions reliably within a fraction of a second,” Fabrowsky said.

Originally developed by Bosch to trigger the release of airbags, the CG912 has performed reliably millions of times in this application. Modern vehicles contain dozens of ICs to control not only safety features such as airbags and belt tensioners but also cruise control, distance sensors, high-beam assist, lane-keeping support, rain sensors, and driver drowsiness detection. “Nowadays, there is hardly any area of automotive engineering that does not involve the use of microchips,” he noted.

(more…)

BMW Malaysia Unveils 6 New i-Charging Facilities @ Bangsar Shopping Centre [+Video]

BMW Group Malaysia “charges” forward in the new year as the leading e-mobility provider in the country, unveiling six New BMW i Charging Facilities at Bangsar Shopping Centre.

Harald Hoelzl, Managing Director at BMW Group Malaysia (above) said, “2018 was a remarkable year for the BMW Group globally and we reflected this here with another year of record-breaking business performances for the eighth consecutive year with 14,338 vehicles delivered, a segment-leading growth of 13%. This reinforces Malaysia’s position as a key market in the region for the BMW Group and we are truly humbled with this achievement.”

Hoelzl added that BMW Malaysia’s portfolio of Visionary Mobility vehicles accounted for over 57% of deliveries last year with over 7,500 Plug-in Hybrid variants of BMW and MINI vehicles making their way to homes across Malaysia in 2018.

“As the country’s leading provider of premium electrified vehicles, we are constantly driving initiatives for innovation, local assembly capabilities, awareness on new and clean technology for the automotive industry as well as helping develop the infrastructure for electrified premium vehicles in the country. We began working on these initiatives with the Malaysian Green Technology Corporation (GreenTech Malaysia) as early as 2015 and we have also developed projects on our own with our network of dealerships across the country.” said Hoelzl.

BMW Malaysia unveiled six New BMW i Charging Facilities at Bangsar Shopping Centre (above), marking another important step in its industry-leading efforts in fostering the country’s shift to Electro-Mobility. This follows the introduction of new BMW i Charging Facilities at Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Melaka, The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat in Ipoh, the Iconic Hotel in Penang as well as at WEIL Hotel in Ipoh last year.

BMW Group Malaysia’s portfolio of Visionary Mobility with the BMW iPerformance vehicles are also supported by the ChargEV platform through its partnership with GreenTech Malaysia. The BMW ChargeNow Service, which is offered as part of the BMW 360° ELECTRIC programme provides straightforward access to partner charging facilities like ChargEV, where customers can enjoy 24/7 support and access to all charging locations in ChargEV’s growing network nationwide.

Piston.my

Plug-In Hybrids

All Volvo PHEVs registered since 2015 now also entitled to extended battery warranty

Record-breaking results in 2019 for Volvo, thanks to its SUV models

Mercedes-Benz battery pack production facility in Thailand begins operations

Explosions that prevent electric shocks in electric vehicles after accidents

BMW Malaysia Unveils 6 New i-Charging Facilities @ Bangsar Shopping Centre [+Video]

All Volvo PHEVs registered since 2015 now also entitled to extended battery warranty

Record-breaking results in 2019 for Volvo, thanks to its SUV models

Mercedes-Benz battery pack production facility in Thailand begins operations

Explosions that prevent electric shocks in electric vehicles after accidents

BMW Malaysia Unveils 6 New i-Charging Facilities @ Bangsar Shopping Centre [+Video]

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