The acronyms around hybrids and electric vehicles don’t trip off the tongue. Here’s a top line on the difference between a MHEV a PHEV and a BEV.

MHEV, PHEV, BEV... The acronyms for cars that use batteries either alongside combustion engines or instead of them can get a little confusing. Here’s a quick and easy guide to Volvo Car’s mild hybrids versus plug-in hybrids versus pure electric.
MHEV: Mild hybrid electric vehicle
So what is a mild hybrid? Basically, a set-up that combines a combustion engine and an electric motor. The motor is used to start the engine and for breaking or slowing, recovering braking energy and storing it in a 48V battery. It then uses the energy to boost the combustion engine when accelerating.
The upshot is smoother starts from standstill, lower fuel consumption – especially driving around town, and more powerful acceleration. Plus, reduced fuel consumption means lower tailpipe emissions.
It doesn’t need a plug, or a charger for the battery, because the braking does that bit.
Volvo Car Australia sells mild hybrid versions of the XC40, XC60 and XC90 SUVs, plus the S60 Sedan and the V60 Cross Country. See mild hybrid details <a href="https://www.volvocars.com/au/">here</a>.

PHEV: Plug-in hybrids
A plug-in hybrid differs from a mild hybrid in that it essentially combines a bigger motor and a bigger battery with the combustion engine. It can run in all-electric mode – which means everyday journeys, particularly at lower speeds around town, can be largely battery powered. For other journeys, running both the battery and the engine in tandem means better performance, range and fuel efficiency, plus lower tailpipe emissions – as well as those smooth starts.
The fuel savings can be significant over combustion engines. For example, on a combined cycle, Volvo’s XC60 Recharge (T8 AWD) fuel consumption is 1.6 litres/100km. That’s less than a third of the fuel used by the XC60 B6 AWD variant at 8.0 litres/100km.*
Volvo Car Australia sells two plug-in hybrid models: the XC60 Recharge, which can travel up to 81km in electric mode, and the XC90 Recharge, which can travel up to 77km in electric mode.*
Volvo’s plug-in hybrids can be charged in 4-8 hours with a standard 220V household connector – they literally plug in to a standard home power point. Installing a 3.6 kW AC wallbox takes that down to in 3-4 hours.** You can also charge them at public chargers.
Find out more about Volvo Car Australia’s plug-in hybrids <a href="https://www.volvocars.com/au/v/cars/plug-in-hybrids">here</a>.
BEV: Battery electric vehicle
Battery electric vehicles are just that – powered purely by batteries and electric motors. They have zero tailpipe emissions, because there is no engine burning fuel. Hence, no exhaust pipes.
They also don’t have gearboxes or clutches. But they do have instant and higher torque, which means pure electric cars tend to be significantly quicker than their engine-powered counterparts – 0-100km/h in less than five seconds via Volvo Car Australia’s current dual motor variants of the XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge.
Plus, the motors are quiet, so the cars are quiet.
Volvo Car Australia’s pure-electric models, currently the XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge, can also be driven using just one pedal: release the accelerator and it acts as the brake, with regenerative braking feeding the energy back into the battery.
BEV charging
Unlike hybrids, BEVs reliance on their batteries makes charging much more important. On the go, they can use higher-powered chargers to typically get around 100km of range from a 50kW charger in around 30 minutes, or around 10 minutes from a 150kW charger**.
Volvo Car’s BEV models can be charged at home using a standard 220V household connector. But that can take 40-72 hours for a full charge, which is unlikely to be practical for most people**.
Which is why Volvo Car Australia recommends people that purchase a BEV also install a wallbox. The 11kW 3 phase version typically delivers 50-60km worth of power per hour**. That means a full charge in around 8 hours, giving drivers a potential 400kms-plus of range depending on driving style, traffic, environmental conditions etc. There is also a 7kW 3 phase wallbox, which enables between 30-45km of range per hour. That means empty-to-full charging in around half a day, or overnight**.
Find out more about Volvo Car Australia’s pure electric range <a href="https://www.volvocars.com/au/v/cars/electric-cars">here</a> and get the full picture on electric vehicle charging choices and cabling <a href="https://www.volvocars.com/au/v/cars/recharge/charging-your-volvo">here</a>.
*Figures according to ADR 81/02 are derived from laboratory testing, which is not carried out on every individual vehicle sold by Volvo. Factors including but not limited to driving style, road and traffic conditions, environmental influences, vehicle condition and accessories fitted, means in the real world the range you experience can differ from that advertised. Advertised figures are meant for comparison purposes.
** The range a customer may experience will depend on driving style, road and traffic conditions, environmental influences, vehicle condition and accessories fitted. Charging times are dependent on factors such as outdoor temperature, current battery temperature, charging equipment, battery condition and car condition.

EV versus hybrid versus mild hybrid: What you need to know

Jim Rowan tells analysts that the EV tipping point, and price parity with combustion engined cars, is fast approaching. He’s backing the new small SUV to power growth.

Volvo Car’s strategy to go all-out on electric vehicles globally by 2030 will pay dividends – giving its cars and customers critical advantages over rival carmakers trying to sweat ‘legacy’ diesel and petrol technology, according to Global CEO Jim Rowan.
Taking questions from analysts around high Lithium prices, a key battery component; supply chain disruption; the heavy investment required to flip to all-electric production and; whether Volvo can meet its mid-decade target to double production to 1.2 million cars, Rowan was upbeat.
“The industry is in transition. When it is a technology transition, it can look like transformation will come at a linear pace. But when the technology becomes more mature – when costs come out of the equation – when the friction factors of charging infrastructure and range start to be eliminated, then you hit that inflection point,” said Rowan.
“When you hit that inflection point, the gradient of the [transformation] curve goes up very quickly … And if you don’t invest ahead of the curve, you miss that inflection point. Which means when the market changes, you’re not ready. So we invest ahead of the curve.”
Lithium prices present a “headwind”, Rowan acknowledged. But he thinks price inflation “will die away” as new technologies drive down battery costs. Rowan predicts “price parity”, i.e. pure electric cars will cost the same to buy as petrol or diesel equivalents, by 2025. “That is when I think that inflection point will kick-in – and the market [will witness] a much higher gradient to full BEV [battery electric vehicle] adoption,” said Rowan.

That timing would perfectly align with Volvo Car Australia’s ambition to sell only pure electric cars from 2026. Rowan suggests carmakers – and those planning to buy a new car over the next few years – should read the auguries.
“Globally last year we saw new BEV sales increasing by 61 per cent – and ICE [internal combustion engine] sales falling by 15 per cent,” said Rowan. “That is a big data point and it’s telling you the market is moving towards electrification – so you best get ready.”
Small SUV, subscription models to drive growth
Volvo’s forthcoming small SUV will attract younger “Gen Z” electric vehicle customers – and play a major role in driving growth, according to Rowan.
“[The new pure electric SUV] will take up a new position in the market … the lower price point will allow us to pick up [younger customers] in a major way and it won’t be cannibalistic to our existing sales,” he said. “We think it will be a nice volume car for us.”
Rowan believes subscription models will also attract a younger customer base – and thinks subscription economics stack up because pure electric vehicles have higher residual values than petrol and diesel cars.
“When we release the small [pure electric] SUV and put that on a subscription-based ownership model, it allows us to talk to brand new customers,” said Rowan. “Gen Z drivers who are coming to the car market for the first time, because it makes it affordable.”
Supply versus demand
Rowan pointed to Volvo’s strong global order book as another sign that demand is rising, though the company is also working through a backlog created by supply chain disruption on the back of Covid.
“I think we’ll end the year with almost the same backlog as we started the year. I don’t think we’ll make headway into that in 2023,” said Rowan. But supply constraints are not uniform, he acknowledged: “Lead times vary between models and markets.”
Volvo Car Australia, for example, currently has a healthy stock of C40 Recharge single motor variants for February and March, with <a href="https://www.volvocars.com/au/news/corporate-and-culture/2023-jan-volvo-car-australia-in-2023/">MD Stephen Connor in last month citing “positive conversations with our factories about getting more units into Australia” in 2023 in a bid to more than double EV sales.</a>
Rowan said Volvo Cars’ expanded production capacity should help to ease constraints leading into 2024, “which suggests a smaller lead time to customers.”

Jim Rowan tells analysts that the EV tipping point, and price parity with combustion engined cars, is fast approaching. He’s backing the new small SUV to power growth.


Volvo Car Global CEO: Electric vehicles are the future – you best get ready

Volvo Car Australia invites everyone to Bondi Beach for a fun-packed festival dedicated to keeping our ocean healthy. Clear some time in your calendar for 15-19 March.

You are cordially invited to the Volvo Ocean Lovers Festival at Bondi Beach next month. See sea science showcases and talks, help clean the beach, dance to some ocean-loving bands, join an ocean lab workshop, drive an underwater drone – and lots more at the Volvo Ocean Lovers Festival. It’s an event for everyone and all are welcome.

Volvo customers can get involved too – and have some fun at the same time.
The weekend of 18-19 March is the main event with masses of free, family-friendly activities – from a beach clean and a ‘trashion’ parade, to markets, science workshops and showcases, talks on everything from sharks to sustainable surfing, and a sand sculpture competition with prizes for the best creations.
Plus, there’s free live music across the whole weekend from the likes of Toni Childs, Kyle Langford, The Sea Gypses, Billy Otto, Elaskia, Sam Windley, Tessa Thames and more.
There’s also a program of ocean loving and impact films, including the new screen adaptation of Tim Winton’s beloved book Blueback starring Mia Wasikowska, Radha Mitchell and Eric Bana. (You have to book, and there’s a small fee, details <a href="https://www.oceanloversfestival.com/films">here</a>.)
And there’s plenty going on throughout the week. See the program <a href="https://www.oceanloversfestival.com/">here</a> – we look forward to seeing you there.

Drive to the beach: You’re invited you to Volvo Ocean Lovers Festival

The Ocean Race 2022 – 23 will see teams of intrepid ocean explorers embark on a 32 000 nautical mile yacht race around the world, visiting nine stunning countries over six months.

It’s not a journey to be taken lightly, which is rather ironic, given that the first ever Ocean Race back in 1973 was born out of a bet in a pub.
In the late 90s, though, it was bought by the Volvo Group (which at the time included Volvo Cars) who hosted the iconic race until 2018, when we stepped down as owners. Despite that change in ownership, Volvo Cars’s commitment to the race remains, and the company is proud to be premier partners of the 2023 edition.
Since its inception, The Ocean Race has focused on ocean sustainability, both from the perspective of organising a sustainable event (no small feat for an event of its size and spread), and in terms of the education spread throughout the race. Moreover, Ocean Summits are organised during the stopovers to discuss how to improve ocean health, and the boats themselves are used for scientific ocean health research. This edition will showcase the <a href="https://www.onebluevoice.net/">One Blue Voice campaign</a> to drive support for a Universal Declaration of Ocean Rights. The campaign aims to get public to sign an online petition that will be presented in collaboration with the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September 2023.
The petition will be presented together with a catalogue of draft principles covering clear pathways and actions on how to improve ocean health. These principles are the culmination of <a href="https://www.theoceanrace.com/en/racing-with-purpose/summits-and-policy">12 Ocean Race Summits</a> created to drive change and implement policies to around the major issues affecting our oceans.
It’s no secret that Volvo Cars is committed to a sustainable future, with its sights firmly set on being fully electric by 2030 and a carbon neutral company by 2040. So, at each of the nine global race stopovers, Volvo Cars will set up interactive booths to display the latest cars, talk about the company’s electric future and share its sustainability journey with every race attendee.

“The Race is a great tool for building our customer relationships, strengthening the Volvo Cars brand, and presenting our company and our products to a global audience.”
The last race gathered a race village audience of 2.66 million, and the 2022 – 2023 race represents a hugely exciting opportunity to reach more and more people with the Volvo Cars sustainability message.
The all-electric XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge will be on show in all stopover locations, sharing Volvo Car innovations to an audience who already believe in our values and share our drive for adventure.
“Volvo Cars has a long connection with The Ocean Race, and it’s right that this is continued given we both have a strong focus on sustainability,” says Stuart Templar, director of sustainability at Volvo Cars.
“We look forward to using the unique platform and reach of The Race to highlight our commitment and progress, including in helping reduce the impacts of climate change and plastic pollution on our oceans.”
If you’d like to know more about the race, you can have a look at <a href="https://www.theoceanrace.com/en/home">The Ocean Race homepage</a> or download The Ocean Race app to get to know the teams and follow their journey. It’s a brand new era for both Volvo Cars and The Ocean Race and everyone is invited

The Ocean Race 2022 – 23 will see teams of intrepid ocean explorers embark on a 32 000 nautical mile yacht race around the world, visiting nine stunning countries over six months. 

The Ocean Race 2023: Sustainability Sets Sail

Volvo Car Australia’s headquarters and Training Centre have been awarded Level 3 accreditation by MTA NSW.

Volvo Car Australia’s headquarters and Training Centre have been recognised as having the highest standards of environmental management and innovation by the peak body representing the NSW automotive industry.
The Motor Traders’ Association of New South Wales (MTA NSW) has awarded Volvo Car Australia Level 3 Accreditation under its Green Stamp program, which aims to recognise and reward businesses that reduce their impact on the environment.
It means both the Sydney headquarters and Training Centre go above and beyond to correctly dispose of waste products, conserve energy and water, and have well-developed Environmental Management Plans.

Innovative ideas and technologies, MTA NSW found, have been incorporated into the everyday activities of the people at Volvo Car Australia. Level 3 is the highest level of accreditation that can be obtained under the Green Stamp Accreditation Program, which means Volvo has demonstrated it is continuously striving to reduce its impact on the environment.
Not only that, but many of Volvo’s dealers in Australia have also been awarded Level 3 accreditation.

Volvo Car Australia’s headquarters and Training Centre have been awarded Level 3 accreditation by MTA NSW. 

Volvo Car Australia’s HQ, Training Centre receive peak Green Stamp Accreditation

Volvo Car Australia is backing a new initiative to offset the carbon generated by digital advertising. 

Volvo Car Australia has become one of the first companies in the country to reduce the environmental impact of its digital advertising, continuing a decades-long focus on engraining climate change and sustainability into company culture.
Volvo's 2021 &quot;Ultimate Safety Test&quot; global advertising campaign was a stark reminder that the biggest threat to our safety isn't on the road - climate change is the ultimate safety test.
Volvo Car Australia has thrown its support behind an initiative from its media agency, Mindshare, and parent company GroupM Australia, which will make advertising better for the planet.
GroupM Australia's agencies Mindshare, Wavemaker, MediaCom and Essence partnered with Good-Loop, a B-Corp certified advertising platform, to measure, offset and reduce the carbon cost of clients' digital campaigns.

The partnership will establish GroupM as the first agency holding group in Australia to offer carbon offsetting and climate-positive activities like reforestation, habitat protection and coral reef restoration across any ad bought online for Display and Online Video.
&quot;As a mobility provider we recognise that we're part of the problem of climate change and have a responsibility to act,&quot; Volvo Car Australia’s Managing Director, Stephen Connor, said.
&quot;Volvo is pleased to support the carbon offsetting initiative launched by GroupM Australia, which is in line with our commitment to being part of the solution to address climate change by reducing our direct and indirect emissions. By reducing emissions across our entire value chain, we are aiming to become a climate-neutral company by 2040. We want to be a force for good and have a positive impact on society.
&quot;This means doing the right thing when conducting business, and the expectations we place on business partners like GroupM Australia.
&quot;By rolling out a new family of pure electric cars in coming years Volvo aims to become a fully electric car maker by 2030, which is one of the auto industry's most ambitious electrification plans.
Aimee Buchanan, GroupM Australia &amp; New Zealand CEO, said: &quot;In our ambition to be responsible for shaping the next era of advertising and making advertising work better for people, ensuring that we make advertising more sustainable is key. We've launched Alpha, as a whole of business strategy because we believe we have a responsibility to take positive action for the current generation of kids - Generation Alpha.
“There is no greater motivation than that. Helping decarbonise digital media in Australia is the first step. Digital media might not be the first thing that comes to mind, but we know that every ad and every impression has a carbon impact. Ultimately, the goal is to reduce carbon emissions, and right now... Volvo understood and embraced this initiative from the get-go, and we're pleased to have them as a partner on this journey.&quot;

Volvo backs plan to offset advertising carbon emissions 

Volvo Car Australia’s digital advertising generates carbon, but a new initiative offsets the impact - and plants new coral on the Great Barrier Reef. 

Digital advertising for Volvo Car Australia has directly contributed to 420 baby coral being planted and more than 7 tonnes of carbon being offset, as part of a new initiative with the company’s media partners to decarbonise.
Working with media agencies Mindshare Australia and GroupM and their Digital Sustainability Initiative, Volvo has offset the impact of its advertising by working alongside the Great Barrier Reef Foundation to plant baby coral in crucial areas of the reef.

The planet needs healthy oceans to survive and healthy oceans need healthy reefs. Oceans provide 50 per cent of the world’s oxygen, the GBR Foundation says, and their coral reefs support 25 per cent of all marine life and coastal blue carbon ecosystems store carbon dioxide 30 to 50 times faster than rainforests.
“Volvo Car Australia has committed to only selling electric vehicles by 2026, four years ahead of our global all-electric target. The cars are a big piece of the puzzle – but we’re also working through our entire supply chain to decarbonise manufacturing and distribution,” Volvo Car Australia Managing Director Stephen Connor said.

“That includes advertising and marketing – because while the carbon footprint from ads is relatively small compared to making vehicles from raw materials – every action counts. And Australia’s energy mix, still largely fossil fuels, means the ads we run here can be three times more carbon intensive than other parts of the world.”
The baby coral and offsets are from the advertising run in the third quarter of 2022 - from July to September. “And that’s just the start,” Connor said.
<ul>
<li>Images courtesy of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.</li>
</ul>

Ads for Volvo cars planted 420 baby coral on Great Barrier Reef

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