XC90 T8 - wading depth

[AB-UK]

I have just happened upon an interesting website re water (and other materials) intrusion resistance.
It seems electrical components can be certified and given particular codes - here's the link :-
https://www.enclosurecompany.com/ip-...-explained.php

An IP rating of 6 and 9 (IP69) sounds okay, and it would be nice to know if the Volvo battery packs could attain this level.
Then it should have no problem going through deep puddles.

[jarm]

Sure it can be done. Wading depth for BMW X5 45e is 500mm and for the new Jeep Wrangler plug-in hybrid stunning 760mm. That's insane.

What's also insane is Volvos "up to a depth level with the floor", which translates to approx 270mm. I think it's just bad / lazy engineering because other non hybrid XC90s can do 450mm and other brands hybrids can do even more.

Don't get me wrong, I like T8 and how it drives, but for me this feels like bad engineering. Or maybe it's someone from design and finance department who said no to further development. I mean 90% of XC90 users will probably never take it even to soft off-roading.

[Director76]

Originally Posted by jarm

Sure it can be done. Wading depth for BMW X5 45e is 500mm and for the new Jeep Wrangler plug-in hybrid stunning 760mm. That's insane.

What's also insane is Volvos "up to a depth level with the floor", which translates to approx 270mm. I think it's just bad / lazy engineering because other non hybrid XC90s can do 450mm and other brands hybrids can do even more.

Don't get me wrong, I like T8 and how it drives, but for me this feels like bad engineering. Or maybe it's someone from design and finance department who said no to further development. I mean 90% of XC90 users will probably never take it even to soft off-roading.

Probably not an engineering decision as such, the design is probably more than capable of safely operating to a greater depth than floor plan - but a decision has been made to restrict Volvo’s liability in this area, thus avoiding many extra £ in testing the design at greater depths, when they have (correctly) determined that the marketing people don’t need to be able to state wild wading and off road claims to sell these vehicles. That matters to people who buy LR or jeep, even if the toughest off-roading they ever do is a chelsea kerbside!

[AB-UK]

Originally Posted by jarm

I mean 90% of XC90 users will probably never take it even to soft off-roading.

However, I suspect 100% of XC90 users in the UK will encounter deep puddles of water on our roads.

Which is why I think it particularly embarrassing to have to stop short of a deep puddle in a £70K+ XC90 T8 whilst an old £50 banger could safely continue through it.

[AB-UK]

It may be of interest to some, but I have been tasking Volvo UK via email to look into the wading depth safety of the T8. As per my post No.11 in this thread, I asked about the IP rating.
Here's Volvo's response, and my follow-up:

Hello Ms Bright,
Thank you very much for the reply - I must say I was a little doubtful that you would be able to get a response from HQ.

I raised the issue because the T8 version of the XC90 has a very low wading depth specification, meaning they can't even be driven through puddles on the road deeper than the lowest bodywork sill (238mm) , whereas the petrol/diesel versions have a WD of 450mm.

It seems from the response that although there is no information regarding protection from object intrusion (the "X" in the IP classification), regarding water ingress ("7") there is some protection :-

Second Digit (moisture protection)

0 - (or X - see section below): No protection.
1 - Protection against vertically falling droplets, such as condensation. ensuring that no damage or interrupted functioning of components will be incurred when an item is upright.
2 - Protection against water droplets deflected up to 15° from vertical
3 - Protected against spray up to 60° from vertical.
4 - Protected against water splashes from all directions. Tested for a minimum of 10 minutes with an oscillating spray (limited ingress permitted with no harmful effects).
5 - Protection against low-pressure jets (6.3 mm) of directed water from any angle (limited ingress permitted with no harmful effects).
6 - Protection against direct high pressure jets.
7 - Protection against full immersion for up to 30 minutes at depths between 15 cm and 1 metre (limited ingress permitted with no harmful effects).

I suspect this information should in part put the minds of potential and current T8 owners at ease.

By the way, I have just found this Volvo website which claims the T8 has the same wading depth as the other non-electric versions, :-

https://www.media.volvocars.com/glob...specifications

so it contradicts Volvo UK's website -
https://www.media.volvocars.com/uk/e...specifications

Would it be possible for you to clarify from Volvo HQ which of these Volvo web pages we should believe please?

Best regards,

[jarm]

Thanks, but what does this response mean? Do they say it's "7" for water ingress? This would essentially mean that wading depth is limited by the ICE.

Good find about the discrepancies between Volvo Global and UK.

[AB-UK]

Originally Posted by jarm

Thanks, but what does this response mean? Do they say it's "7" for water ingress? This would essentially mean that wading depth is limited by the ICE.

Good find about the discrepancies between Volvo Global and UK.

On the face of it it sounds like the wading depth is limited by the ICE as it is in non electric models - up to 450mm.

However - Stop Press - I have just received the following from Volvo UK :-

"I checked again with Product and they confirmed the correct info is no higher than the sill.

They've noted your feedback regarding this information."

My response:-

"May I ask with whom you confirmed this?
Was it Volvo HQ in Sweden?
The term "Product" is nebulous to non-Volvo staff.

You can't have two contradictory specifications for the same car, so will they be amending their global website information to match the UK information accordingly?"

[AB-UK]

Stop Press - reply received just now:-

"I spoke with our Product Manager here in the UK. He works directly with the team in Sweden and was able to answer this question.

I can't guarantee that the web pages will change but we have recorded your comments and feedback."

I suspect my pressing Volvo UK any further isn't going to yield anything more definitive.

So as it stands, you shouldn't drive through any deep puddles on UK roads.
In any other country the ddepth limit is 450mm.

Do any of our forum readers have access to Volvo websites in other countries and can confirm what they say on the subject of the T8 wading depth?

[jarm]

I think the 450mm on Volvo Global is a mistake. In manual it says bottom of floor.

What's interesting is the "7" ingress rating. Can you check if it's actually "7"? It seems too high. Basically it would mean you can submerge the battery back and everything would be fine.

[AB-UK]

Note that "7" allows immersion for only 30mins at a depth no greater than 1m.