Tag Archives: VOLVO

Kia EV3 made global debut – Up to 600km range, Volvo EX30 rival?

KIA continues to expand their lineup of electric vehicles (EVs) with the introduction of the EV3, a compact SUV. This model joins the existing lineup, including the EV5, EV6, and EV9.

The Kia EV3 is built on the E-GMP (Electric-Global Modular Platform) but does not feature the 800-volt architecture found in the EV6 and EV9. Instead, it comes with a 400-volt architecture similar to the EV5, enabling DC charging from 10 to 80 percent in 31 minutes.

With a full charge, it can be driven up to 600km based on WLTP cycle. This range applies to the Long Range model, while the Standard Range variant offers a slightly shorter distance.

Power is supplied by nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) batteries, known for offering better power and longer lifespan.

Both variants are equipped with the same electric motor, mounted on the front axle. This motor has an output of 201hp and 283Nm of torque, allowing the EV3 to accelerate to 100km/h in 7.5 seconds. The maximum speed is limited to 170km/h.

The Kia EV3 is equipped with eDTVC (Electric Dynamic Torque Vectoring Control) for optimal grip, as well as a new feature called i-Pedal 3.0, which functions as regenerative braking.

The EV3 offers a cargo space of 460 liters, and since it has no engine, it also has an additional 25 liters of space under the front hood.

In terms of appearance, the Kia EV3 features the ‘Tiger Face Star Map’, a result of the design of the DRL (Daytime Running Lights) and main headlights. The grille also comes in two different bumper design options, depending on the variant.

Despite its boxy and angular shape, the Kia EV3 maintains aerodynamics, with a drag coefficient as low as 0.263.

The cabin design showcases a minimalist concept. There is a single horizontal air vent, dividing the dashboard into two sections. Several physical buttons are located on the center console.

The screen on the dashboard is quite large, consisting of a 12.3-inch instrument display, a 12.3-inch infotainment display, and a 5-inch air conditioning panel.

Some parts of the cabin are made from recycled materials, with the option of Air, Earth, or Water trim.

Other features include the Harman Kardon audio system, AI assistance, Automotive Content Platform, and ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems).

Volvo introduces first EV bus for Malaysia, Rapid KL to conduct testing operation

VOLVO Buses, a part of the Volvo Group, together with Gemilang International Ltd, has launched a fully electric bus (EV).

The all-new Volvo BZL-GML Eco Range is a premium low-floor urban electric bus with two doors, the first of its kind assembled in the country (CKD) by Volvo.

The manufacturer has also collaborated with Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd for the trial operation of the Volvo BZL-GML Eco Range.

The trial is set to commence in July 2024 and is expected to last for a minimum of six months to a year.

A Volvo electric bus will operate on Route 581, covering the journey from Desa Tasik to LRT Bandar Tasik Selatan.

The chassis and powertrain components with efficient energy from Volvo BZL have been engineered and built to the highest standards at Volvo’s manufacturing plant in Sweden.

This bus can accommodate up to 91 passengers with a capacity of 33 seats, including safety seats, seats for specific groups, foldable seats, and standing passenger space.

It features a completely flat and low floor design from the front to the back, providing stability and easier access for passengers.

An electric powertrain system with a power output of 540hp and immediate torque.

The EV bus is also equipped with various advanced braking technologies, including Volvo disc brakes, Electronic Brake System (EBS), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Acceleration Slip Regulator (ASR), Brake Blending, Hill Assist System (HAS), and Electronic Stability Control (ESC).

Additionally, other safety features such as warning alerts, collision warnings, 360 cameras, and e-mirrors to assist the driver will be offered as options.

In the event of an unlikely breakdown, the battery cells and surrounding area are designed to ‘self-extinguish’ by automatically releasing temperature extinguishing agents to prevent nearby battery cells from damage. This feature has been proven effective through repeated testing.

The Volvo BZL-GML Eco Range electric bus offers flexible charging through the OppCharge interface hardware for automatic high-power charging and CCS charging sockets.

The energy storage is placed on the roof, providing more spacious passenger areas and optimizing weight distribution.

Win a trip to Sweden worth of RM50,000 with a purchase of a new fully-electric Volvo

ARE you in the market for a new electric vehicle (EV)? How about trying out Volvo, where you might just stand a chance to win a trip to Sweden for two worth up to RM50,000!

Yes, this offer is made by Volvo Car Malaysia in conjunction with the Volvo Birthday Sale, as the Swedish brand celebrates its 97th birthday this month.

The Volvo Birthday Sale event will take place next week, from 26th to 28th April 2024 at Sentul Depot. It will also be held at selected Volvo dealers across the country, as well as in Sabah and Sarawak.

As mentioned earlier, the purchase of Volvo EV vehicles enables you to win a trip to the birthplace of Volvo in Gothenburg, Sweden, in addition to the opportunity to visit the recently opened World of Volvo experience center on the 14th of April.

During the Volvo Birthday Sale event, you can also enjoy a rebate of RM15,000 and other offers for the C40 and XC40 Recharge Pure Electric models.

The latest C40 Recharge Pure Electric has been updated for 2024, now offering an extended driving range of up to 550km (WLTP cycle), faster DC charging, pixel technology headlights, and a new Vapour Grey color.

Other Volvo models will also be showcased at this event, including the PHEV lineup (XC60, XC90, S60, S90, and V60 Recharge). Additionally, the Volvo SELEKT range will be offered, which consists of certified pre-owned vehicles with full assurance and inspection by Volvo Car Malaysia.

To further sweeten the deal for you as a customer or potential customer, the first 97 customers who make reservations within the three-day period will receive an exclusive Volvo Gift Box upon delivery of the new vehicle.

Volvo Safety Driving Experience provides opportunity to face emergency situations, experiencing advanced safety systems

When asked what comes to mind with Volvo, undoubtedly safety springs to mind. The Swedish manufacturer is synonymous with safety and takes pride in it.

Recently, Volvo Car Malaysia organized their first Volvo Safety Driving Experience at the country’s first air base (former) in Bandar Malaysia, Sungai Besi.

The event, held on a Saturday a few weeks ago, saw over 240 Volvo owners and enthusiasts learning driving skills through exercises such as braking, steering, and quick lane changes.

For us in the media industry, such activities are not entirely unfamiliar, but it was the first time with Volvo, making it still something interesting to observe.

The first driving activity involved changing lanes to the left or right followed by maximum braking until the vehicle stopped. Using the Volvo C40 Recharge and XC40 Recharge, this activity was performed at speeds of 60 or 70 km/h.

Even at this speed, it was evident that it could feel aggressive for passengers despite the car remaining stable. Imagine having to perform this emergency maneuver while driving at 110 km/h on the highway…

Next, we were taken to the braking activity on a straight road while avoiding obstacles. Here, it could be seen that the ABS allowed the car to remain controllable even when braking hard.

Most importantly, the driver’s ability to react and focus during driving to reduce the risk of collisions in emergency situations is crucial.

Next, we were shown demonstrations of the safety systems present in the latest Volvo models.

Among them was the Cross Traffic Alert, which warns the driver of traffic behind when attempting to reverse out of a parking spot. The warning provided is accurate depending on the direction and distance of the traffic.

We also had the opportunity to try the Pilot Assist system with the Volvo V60, which helps the driver control speed in traffic along with steering assistance.

Crucially, Pilot Assist is also capable of braking automatically if the traffic ahead slows down, and it does so smoothly and naturally, like a real driver. This can undoubtedly reduce the burden and fatigue on the driver in everyday situations.

The last activity included a slalom course and high-speed acceleration. During the slalom, we could feel the agility of the Volvo S90, V60, XC60, and XC90 being driven through narrow routes adeptly, but in a safe manner.

Despite most of these models weighing around two tons, they were still stable and agile and had very convincing braking performance.

@engear.tv #Volvo haritu jemput kita untuk join Safety Driving Experience untuk tambah ilmu memandu. #safety #engeartv #malaysia #fyp #carsoftiktok ♬ original sound – Engear TV

Lastly, for the high-speed driving activity, we were given the opportunity to accelerate on the Sungai Besi Airfield runway, which is 1.8 km long, although we were not pilots wanting to take off.

Instead, we pushed these Volvo plug-in hybrid models to their maximum speed of 180 km/h and demonstrated the stability of these models when braking from high speeds. This maximum speed could also be achieved very quickly, in about 20 seconds.

Overall, the Volvo Safety Driving Experience provides participants the chance to experience and test the capabilities of Volvo models in safety-related situations.

Moreover, in the hangar, there was an exhibition of all Volvo models, sponsored by Pirelli, the main tire sponsor, and family activities such as Småland for children, as well as an exhibition by PURAS.

Volvo XC40, C40 Recharge renamed to EX40, EC40

VOLVO is standardising the names for two of its fully electric models, the XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge, in line with its transformation towards becoming a fully electric car manufacturer by 2030.

Effective immediately, said models are renamed to EX40 and EC40 respectively, following in the footsteps of other Volvo fully electric models, which are the EX30, EX90 and EM90. The XC40 name remains for internal combustion-powered variants of the model.

The update also includes the removal of Recharge badging from Volvo’s plug-in hybrid models, which are now denoted simply by the T6 or T8 suffix indicating different levels of power output.

The new and streamlined model name standard makes it even easier for existing and new customers to understand which of the Volvo models are fully electric and which are hybrids.

The Swedish automaker is also introducing a new Performance software pack for the EX40 and EC40 Twin Motor variants, and as an upgrade for the previous model year in selected markets.

The Performance software pack, which increases power output by 25 kW (34 hp) for faster acceleration, also includes unique pedal mapping for quicker accelerator response and a ‘Performance’ drive mode to unlock the full 325 kW (436 hp).

In available markets, the Performance software will be offered as an optional upgrade pack via the Volvo Cars app when ordering a new car, while drivers of previous model year 2024 C40 and fully electric XC40 Recharge can purchase and download the software from the comfort of their sofa.

Additionally, B5 mild hybrid petrol variants of XC60 and XC90 now employ a more efficient engine combustion cycle, expected to result in CO2 emission reductions and fuel economy improvements of up to around 4% for the XC60 and around 2% for the XC90 based on the WLTP cycle.

There are also a special Black Edition of the EX40, EC40 and the XC40. The Black Edition models come with Onyx Black paint, high gloss black badging, 20-inch five-spoke alloys in high gloss black and the choice between microtech or textile charcoal interiors.

Volvo C40 Recharge updated for 2024 – Higher driving range at 550km, matrix LED, price unchanged

VOLVO Car Malaysia (VCM) today announced that the electric SUV (EV) C40 has received enhancements for the year 2024. It is now offered with an extended driving range of up to 550km and pixel LED headlights.

Its battery pack has been increased from 78kWh to 82kWh, and with better cooling system, it adds 100km of driving range compared to before.

The 2024 Volvo C40’s battery now also supports DC charging of up to 200kW (compared to 150kW previously), meaning the battery level can go from 10 percent to 80 percent in just 28 minutes.

The powertrain has also been improved. Instead of having two motors with the same 150kW (204hp) power in the front and rear, the C40 now features a pair of motors with different outputs.

The front motor has an output of 117kW (159hp) while the rear has 183kW (249hp). The total power remains the same at 300kW (408hp).

As mentioned earlier, the 2024 Volvo C40 is also equipped with matrix LED lights for better illumination. Other features include 19-inch rims and the new Vapour Grey color.

With these added specifications, VCM has maintained the price of the C40 Recharge at RM288,888 on the road without insurance. This also includes a five-year unlimited mileage warranty, as well as an eight-year or 160,000km battery warranty.

There is also a five-year or 100,000km free service package and roadside assistance for the same duration.

Volvo P1800 Cyan GT takes things down a notch

In 2020, Cyan Racing pulled the cover off the Volvo P1800 Cyan as a track-inspired homage to the iconic Volvo sports car from the sixties.

However, with bucket seats and a titanium safety cage, the car was a proper street-legal track that could be a little too hardcore for some.

Now, Cyan Racing is back with a new version of the car that is developed to be a grand tourer. Known as the P1800 Cyan GT, it comes with a fully adjustable suspension now set up for winding country roads and  comfortable long-distance driving.

The car also has a different version of the titanium roll cage for increased comfort, but with a maintained high level of safety and chassis rigidity.

The cabin looks significantly more comfortable now thanks to be spoke touring seats and sand-coloured leather and fabric upholstery. The amount of sound deadening material has also been increased to improve NVH.

Much like the standard version, the P1800 Cyan GT is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine paired with a five-speed Holinger gearbox that offers “excellent precision and feeling”.

That being said, the power has been dialled down slightly from 414 hp to 345 hp. Cyan Racing claims the reduced output is to prioritise enjoyable driving rather than raw power.

The P1800 Cyan GT will be offered in limited numbers, with each unit taking approximately 12 to 15 months to be completed.

All Volvo P1800 Cyans are restored and modified from an original Volvo P1800 by the fabricators, engineers, designers and mechanics at the Cyan headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Volvo Car Malaysia sells even more EV in 2023

VOLVO Car Malaysia wraps up the 2023 calendar year with an increase in electric vehicle (EV) sales, which accounted for 18 percent of the total sales. This also represents a 37 percent increase compared to the previous year.

Out of the total sales, the Recharge model range (comprising fully electric EVs and PHEVs) accounted for 71 percent of the sales.

This percentage also places Volvo Car Malaysia in the top 15 globally, with the Recharge model sales averaging 38 percent.

Volvo Car Malaysia sold 2,694 cars in 2023, compared to 3,194 in 2022, which was a year of recovery for the automotive industry after the pandemic.

Charles Frump, Managing Director of Volvo Car Malaysia, said, “2023 marked a transformational year for us as we transitioned towards a fully electric future.

“Despite a drop in sales figures, we are proud to maintain our market share even without new launches last year.

“After seven years of growth until 2023, we anticipate continued growth in 2024 with the arrival of fully electric products,” Charles added.

On a global scale, Volvo Cars achieved a record sales figure for 2023 with 708,716 units sold, representing a 15 percent increase compared to 2022.

Pre-production of the Volvo ES90 electric sedan begins, to launch in May 2024?

The Swedish publication, Teknikens Värld, reports that Volvo has now commenced the pre-production of their first electric sedan.

This is based on secret images successfully obtained from the Cixi factory, Zhejiang Province, along with internal memos detailing the initial specifications of the electric sedan.

The EV with the internal codename V551 will be officially named the ES90 and shares the same SPA2 platform as the EX90 SUV model.

The Volvo ES90 measures 4,990 mm in length, 1,945 mm in width, 1,547 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3,102 mm.

This positions the Volvo ES90 in direct competition with electric sedans in its segment such as the BMW i5, Mercedes-Benz EQE, and Audi A6 e-tron.

Furthermore, the electric sedan weighs approximately 2,600 kg for the dual-motor AWD version and 2,500 kg for the single-motor rear-wheel drive (RWD) version. The large 111 kWh battery pack offers a range of up to 600 km for the single-motor electric version.

According to the report, the serial production of the electric sedan is slated to commence in May 2024.