Volvo’s electric car rolls out this fall

Not a bad looking ride.




Now ... how long until it hits the U.S. ??
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First look... I already see a significant design flaw...

Notice where the electrical hook-up it positioned.

Directly in the front of the vehicle...

This IS the worse spot for this connection.

It will have to be relocated to the side or rear to reduce the problems encountered with just the position of where it is located now.

These fellas weren't thinking about what the car will be doing when it is actually on the road... putting an electrical connection directly in the path of the most problematic area on a vehicle when it comes to traveling/driving was a poor design decision.

 

Strange indeed - what could be the reason why ?
Have you noticed the green circle at the wheels : http://www.carpages.co.uk/volvo/volvo-c30-hybrid-06-09-07.asp

 

A poor review process or nitwit design members perhaps.

Herb-smoking engineers or some young-thang only thinking cars are going to stay in the garage...

Just guessing...

 

Re: First look... I already see a significant design flaw...

I duno ... the RAV4-EV as well as the EV1 have front plugs ... not too much trauma described by users of that system when you read their boards.

 

They are using wheel motors, as pionneered by Pierre Couture at Hydro-Québec 20 years ago. It avoids the need of a transmission, differential, etc. I'm not sure if their design also include integrated wheel converters or not. See this post I made on another thread for more info.

At least 15 years of progress has been lost but it's good to see it coming to life, even if its with a chinese company!

 

With the power jack in front, you could use a blind-mating connector in the garage and just drive right up to it using red/green LEDs for position guidance. No charging cable manipulation necessary and so one less problem for EV naysayers to whine about.

Richard

 

I think the front is an ideal place to have the charging socket. Drive straight into your driveway and plug it in - no cables laying along the floor. Ideal.

 

Two years ago Volvo announced an EV with wheel/motors.
I thought they were the most logical application for EVs, but numerous
suspension issues were discussed as the reason wheel/motors did not work. Seems like it would provide all wheel drive with increadible torque.
And as your other post mentioned, no maintenece!

 

Don't overlook the obvious. All new EV drivers will need a constant reminder to remove the connection before driving off. So:
1) Once the look up from the driver seat they go "Oh Yeah, need to unplug"
2) If they are backing out, then unplugging is more likely than breaking the cord.

 

I do no know the pros and cons of a front plug, but the publicity department is delighted to show the cord directly beneath the Volvo emblem. By production time, it could be anywhere.

 

Their design, like Pierre Couture's, seem to forgo friction brakes and only use the motors to accelerate the car both ways (to speed and to full stop). I wonder how they deal with the issue of a full battery and braking. Pierre Couture's solution was to use a big resistor to dissipate this extra energy.

 

Purely my opinion.

Maybe it's just the angle of the photo?
Or maybe it would look better "in the metal"?

But I think it looks horrible, and I like Volvo's..

Maybe I need some psychological reprograming...but the absence of a real open grill and the plug in being direct and in the front...makes it seem that much more toy like...slap on those Neon Green wheels and I just can't buy it....

Baby steps.

For a while, I think even if not functionally needed...keeping some old Petrol Burning styling ques would be wise.

I like The Plug in where gas tank inlets usually are located...and I like an open grille in the front.

Plus I like wheels that don't look like they were chosen by The Wiggles or Telletubbies...

 

Between the originally displayed Volt and the delivered product, a few changes were made. That will happen here as well.

 

Seems the plug needs to be on the drivers side and highly visible as you get n the car to prevent driving off with the car "plugged in".

 

Valid point. The EV-1 had a big paddle that plugged in the front up high where it could be seen easily. The Volvo detection only happens if the cord is lying far enough in front to be seen if this indeed is their approach.

 

I'd imagine the car won't shift into gear (fwd or reverse) if the plug is connected.

 

The Porsche Hybrid from 100 years ago used wheel electric motors I believe.

 

I am confused ... isn't the Volvo a pure EV?

I cannot help but notice there is, what appears to be, a gas cap on the right rear.