2021 Volvo XC90 T8 Recharge PHEV: Private Fleet Car Review
Hybrid technology is becoming a way of life in the automotive world and ranges from the everyday car to the ultra luxury. Somewhere in between is Volvo and their hybrid SUV “Recharge” offerings. The big ‘un, the XC90, is now partially electrified and available as a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle or PHEV.
Complete with a solid list of standard equipment and extras, their is a Manufacturer’s recommended list price and as driven price of $114,990 and $120,715.
The key to what turned out to be a surprisingly rapid and agile big SUV is a 2.0L petrol fed engine that is both supercharged and turbocharged. The EV part comes from a battery that assists and electric motor that produces, says Volvo, 65kW and 240Nm to work with the petrol powerplant’s 246kW and 440Nm. That torque figure comes in at 2,200rpm and runs to 4,400rpm.
The European EV Compass
The best of European engineering and technology has always been considered to be some of the finest the world has to offer (particularly German, Swedish and British engineering). However, with the advancement in microelectronics and electrical know-how that is coming from the Asian parts of the world, there is little time to be had before German, Swedish, Dutch and British (to name a few) technology giants, and automotive and engineering giants, could get swallowed up and placed in the history books.
Aussie’s Rosco aiming for 1000 mph
Aussie Invader 5R
It might be a bit hard to call it a conventional car but then it’s not really a conventional car in the sense that the Aussie Invader 5R rocket-car looks more plane/rocket in its appearance. The Aussie Invader 5R rocket-car boasts an insanely long arrow-shaped design with three wheels, large aerodynamic wind deflectors and an engine with close to 150,000 kW! Yes, that’s correct; you did read that figure correctly. To put that in perspective, an Aussie V8 Supercar puts out, on average, around 475 kW of power. Now, if you’ve ever experienced the wonderful roar of these V8s when they blast by around the circuit, then you can understand the aura of such kW potency. But this Aussie Invader 5R rocket-car makes as much power as 316 of these Aussie V8 Supercars put together! The Aussie Invader 5R rocket-car is powered by a single bi-propellant rocket reportedly capable of producing upwards of 62,000 lbf of thrust. That’s over four times more than a Boeing 737 jet!
Hyundai Caught Up in Global Battery Pack Recall
Hyundai Australia is at the centre of a recall affecting roughly 1100 local electric vehicles sold since 2018 including the popular Hyundai Kona and Hyundai Ioniq, with the vehicles considered at risk of catching fire while recharging. In total, however, the global recall encompasses an estimated 82,000 electric vehicles, which will each require a new battery pack replacement at a grand cost of around $1.1 billion.
It marks one of the first major recalls by any brand as far as battery pack recalls or replacements. While recalls are somewhat par for the course in the automotive industry, EVs have largely escaped a similar fate thus far, with this new development potentially proving a watch-point for a segment of the industry that is looking to generate increased interest among new car buyers.
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