Volvo ES90 will charge faster and go further than ever

Volvo’s ES90 will be a highly sought-after EV, and new details about its charging and range may make it almost impossible to buy at launch. Volvo has announced that its upcoming EV SUV can add 300 kilometers (186 miles) of range in under 10 minutes and will have a total range of 700 kilometers (435 miles).

The fast-charging capability is thanks to Volvo’s new 800-volt electrical system, which the automaker claims is more efficient than the 400-volt system used by most current EVs.

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Volvo’s 800-volt electrical system required some changes

Volvo claims it has completely reworked the entire electrical system to take full advantage of its 800-volt architecture. The battery cells, inverter, e-motor, charging system, and thermal system are all upgraded for the ES90.

The system generates less heat than the current 400-volt system, which helps it deliver a faster charge at 350kW stations or at home with a fast charger. The system doesn’t have to worry about overheating, so it can fully take advantage of DC fast charging.

Volvo also says its new, in-house, battery management software helps charge the ES90 from 10 percent to 80 percent in about 20 minutes, or 30 percent faster than the old 400-volt system.

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Does an 800-volt system matter?

Volvo is correct that an 800-volt system generates less heat because it does not ” try” as hard to charge a vehicle. EV charging is calculated by multiplying voltage and amperage, and an 800-volt system requires half the amperage of a 400-volt system for the same charging speed at a DC fast charger.

Less heat created during charging also benefits the car’s battery, which degrades when exposed to multiple heat transfers.

This also creates a more efficient charging experience. Some power is lost on its way from the outlet to the car, but less amperage required for charging means less power is lost during charging.

Of course, a 400-volt system can provably handle fast charging, while 800-volt systems are new and largely untested at scale. There’s plenty of reason to be excited about 800-volt charging, but it’s unclear how much of a game-changer it will be. Over time, we should expect software to improve how 800-volt systems are managed, which will, in turn, improve performance.

Final thoughts

Volvo didn’t mention much about the ES90’s range, likely because it simply sports a larger battery pack. That’s fine with us since we expect larger EVs to have bigger batteries, but it’s clear that charging is the big story here. 435 miles of range isn’t spectacular, but it’s more than enough for most drivers.

With upgraded battery cells, inverter, e-motor, charging system, and thermal system supporting its new 800-volt system architecture, it’s clear that A lot of work went into the ES90, and Volvo is immensely proud, and we expect it to be special, too.

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