Volvo shifts gears: 700 km range, lightning-fast charging

With all the good they bring, electric vehicles (EVs) need to be charged more often than their gas-fueled counterparts, and charging them can take an enormous amount of time. However, Volvo seems to be on the way to solving this problem with its upcoming launch.

Indeed, Volvo’s fastest-charging, longest-range EV ever, the new ES90, which takes only 10 minutes to charge 300 km (185 miles) and can go as far as 700 km (435 miles) on one charge, will make its debut on March 5 in Stockholm, Sweden, the company said on February 26.

As it happens, the all-electric Volvo ES90 sedan is an upgrade of the EX90 SUV and relies on 800-volt technology, helping it charge faster and go further on a single charge than any electric Volvo before. According to Anders Bell, the chief engineering and technology officer at Volvo:

“Our 800V technology marks another significant technological upgrade for our customers as we move towards full electrification. (…) It makes our electric cars even more efficient, helps you charge your electric Volvo faster and go further on a single charge.”

Developing Volvo ES90 tech

The company also stated that, in order to switch to 800V, it had to upgrade each component in the electric system, including the battery cells, e-motors, inverter, charging, as well as climate and thermal systems. As such, it promises benefits in terms of charging, efficiency, and performance.

A higher voltage system equals more power in kilowatts (kW) and more range with the same current as a 400V system. Additionally, it puts out less heat, leading to faster charging up to 350kW without overloading the electric system, according to the press release.

Furthermore, the upcoming ES90 features a dual NVIDIA DRIVE AGX Orin configuration, making it the most powerful Volvo car to date in terms of core computing capacity. The model’s creators also designed it to continuously evolve and improve over time.

Earlier, German automotive giant BMW also revealed plans regarding the development and production of the new sixth-generation (Gen6) eDrive technology, which includes a 30% faster charging speed, a 30% increase in range, as well as the 800V battery concept.

Meanwhile, recent scientific discoveries may revolutionize the EV industry altogether, reducing its reliance on lithium as the main component of batteries, and instead looking to sodium as the safer, more sustainable, and cost-effective alternative, as Techgaged.com reported earlier.