Battery Status

[Owee]

Hello. Just taken ownership of a XC90 T8 (MY17) over the weekend. It is an approved used Volvo car (Selekt).

Something that is concerning me is the battery gauge is always almost empty. I plugged it in for about 5 hours on Sunday, but the battery gauge shows about 10% full. I am charging the car using the standard volvo supplied 3-pin cable. I believe it may be an older model cable as it only has two lights which flash blue when charging (occasionally one).
Having driven the car on sunday after the charge I was getting around 80mpg so I assume the battery is contributing.

Anyone experienced anything similar.

[Milliner]

Still get the occasional software bug (currently, a problem with the indicators failing every now and then), but never this.

5 hours should be a full charge even on the lowest amp setting. The dial on the right tells you what engine you're currently driving with and there's an electric only range next to the battery symbol.

You get about 21 miles in hybrid mode with a full charge. 24 in Pure mode. If you're not seeing this, I'd speak to the dealer.

[Philip Fisher]

Originally Posted by Owee

Hello. Just taken ownership of a XC90 T8 (MY17) over the weekend. It is an approved used Volvo car (Selekt).

Something that is concerning me is the battery gauge is always almost empty. I plugged it in for about 5 hours on Sunday, but the battery gauge shows about 10% full. I am charging the car using the standard volvo supplied 3-pin cable. I believe it may be an older model cable as it only has two lights which flash blue when charging (occasionally one).
Having driven the car on sunday after the charge I was getting around 80mpg so I assume the battery is contributing.

Anyone experienced anything similar.

The lead has some up arrows and down arrows to increase or decrease the charge rate. The number of lights corresponds to the rate of charge.

To charge from full at

- 2amps it would take circa 18 hours
- 4amps it would take circa 9 hours
- 6amps it would take circa 6 hours
- 8amps it would take circa 4.5 hours
- 10 amps it would take circa 3.5 hours

Hope that helps

[Owee]

Originally Posted by Philip Fisher

The lead has some up arrows and down arrows to increase or decrease the charge rate. The number of lights corresponds to the rate of charge.

To charge from full at

- 2amps it would take circa 18 hours
- 4amps it would take circa 9 hours
- 6amps it would take circa 6 hours
- 8amps it would take circa 4.5 hours
- 10 amps it would take circa 3.5 hours

Hope that helps

I understand what you mean but the cable I have just has two lights which flash when charging. No arrows to control the rate of charge. I am assuming its an earlier model of the cable (yellow with blue (mennekes).

[Owee]

Originally Posted by Milliner

Still get the occasional software bug (currently, a problem with the indicators failing every now and then), but never this.

5 hours should be a full charge even on the lowest amp setting. The dial on the right tells you what engine you're currently driving with and there's an electric only range next to the battery symbol.

You get about 21 miles in hybrid mode with a full charge. 24 in Pure mode. If you're not seeing this, I'd speak to the dealer.

I have only used Hybrid and Pure. Next to the battery symbol (just above petrol range) the numbers range between 1-4. When it was delivered it said 6. He had just done 120mile trip, dont know if that has anything to do with it.

Also shouldnt the Pure mode be less miles than Hybrid as in Hybrid I believe the petrol is helping out?

[Milliner]

Originally Posted by Owee

I have only used Hybrid and Pure. Next to the battery symbol (just above petrol range) the numbers range between 1-4. When it was delivered it said 6. He had just done 120mile trip, dont know if that has anything to do with it.

Also shouldnt the Pure mode be less miles than Hybrid as in Hybrid I believe the petrol is helping out?

Doesn't sound like its charging then. If you plug in, it should charge to about 21 miles of electric range. The battery range specified is based on only using the electric engine to the rear. In Pure mode you get a few more electric only miles as it changes some of the characteristics such as turning the air con off.

If the petrol engines chips in, of course you'll go further before the battery is depleted, but you'll be using fuel as well!

[Owee]

Originally Posted by Milliner

Doesn't sound like its charging then. If you plug in, it should charge to about 21 miles of electric range. The battery range specified is based on only using the electric engine to the rear. In Pure mode you get a few more electric only miles as it changes some of the characteristics such as turning the air con off.

If the petrol engines chips in, of course you'll go further before the battery is depleted, but you'll be using fuel as well!

The range makes sense. What I am trying to understand is how was I getting 80mpg, could it be charging very slowly and was using the battery somewhat.
I do recall seeing the green light on the car charging point flashing (long flashes) even after 5 hours.

[Director76]

Originally Posted by Owee

The range makes sense. What I am trying to understand is how was I getting 80mpg, could it be charging very slowly and was using the battery somewhat.
I do recall seeing the green light on the car charging point flashing (long flashes) even after 5 hours.

Flashing green from the charging port means charge in progress, the driver display and on call app also report the charge status and give an indicative fully charged time. The plug light goes solid green when charged, but quite quickly turns off altogether.

[Milliner]

Originally Posted by Owee

The range makes sense. What I am trying to understand is how was I getting 80mpg, could it be charging very slowly and was using the battery somewhat.
I do recall seeing the green light on the car charging point flashing (long flashes) even after 5 hours.

If you had some charge in your battery, it's possible to get 80mpg depending how far you went, where you were driving and how you drove. If you do a 30mph trip through town, you'll probably use the battery a lot more, and more efficiently than a 70mph blasts down dual carriageways.

If you only do fast road/big distance driving, the mpg benefits of a PHEV aren't there. It's better suited to 30/40mph.

Try leaving it plugged in overnight - you'll see an estimate of full charge time on the driver display shortly after plugging in

Great car though! Just extended my lease for another 12 months. I honestly couldn't find anything else on the market that ticks all the boxes this car does (in this price bracket...)

[TimNiceBut]

Originally Posted by Owee

I believe it may be an older model cable as it only has two lights which flash blue when charging (occasionally one).

If only one LED is flashing blue, the charger is in stand-by mode, so not actually charging the vehicle.

Do you have the Volvo On Call App? This will give you an estimated "time to fully charged". Any more than 4 hours and you're not charging at 10 amps.