FAQ - related to the State Of Health of Volvo Cars Hybrid Batteries Questions we receive from dealers and customers
Q What does the State of Health mean?
A SOH is an indicator of how much Battery capacity is left, however it shall not be treated
as an absolute quantity!
= The condition of a battery.
= SOH = Current max Capacity / Initial max Capacity
Volvo Cars does not expect to come close to critical SOH during the warranty period
Q Is there any State of Health limitation after which a car cannot be driven?
A PHEV can always be driven without limitations as a normal fuel-driven vehicle, even if
a Battery degenerates to a low state of health.
Q Can a Customer see (or be informed by a Dealer, or interpret from a Maintenance Invoice) the State of Health of his/her car?
A No. At present Volvo Cars has decided to offer SOH information only for a dealer/technician. A dealer/technician will have suitable ability to clarify customers possible technical concerns.
Q Is it possible to have a car with a high SOH and high mileage, and an equal one with a low SOH and low mileage?
A Yes. Many Parameters affects a Battery health, not just mileage. E.g. charging cycles and tougher driving style shortens a Battery life.
Q What is the expected lifetime of a new Volvo cars PHEV Battery?
A Volvo cars PHEV batteries are designed to last the entire lifetime of the car
Yet, a battery life depends on numerous facts. E.g. how often the vehicle is being used, charging, maintenance, temperature and the driving pattern.
Q What means with the so called End of Life (EOL) of a HV battery?
A End of Life of PHEV batteries is reached when the actual total capacity is well below
half of the original total capacity, or if the actual peak power if well below one third of the original peak power.
Q Does SOH give an indication on how far I can drive on electric?
A Yes. A lower SOH means also a lower electric range.
To get the range percentage see also the so called State of Charge (SOC).
Q What is SOC?
A Knowing the Battery State of Charge is like knowing the amount of Fuel in your fuel
tank
= Batteries Charging Status
A fully charged Battery has always 100% SOC, but an old Battery is charged faster compared to a new one due to the Battery decreased capacity
Q Can a customer find SOC?
A Yes, SOC is available on DIM (Driver Information Module).
Q Do seasons affect PHEV range?
A Yes, 30-40% of the range can be reduced due to the seasonal variation during winter (e.g.
the range can be 45 km during summer, and only 30 km during winter conditions
Q Are there any other parameters affecting the range?
A Yes.
E.g. Speed, driving style (such as many stop-and-goes), hilly environment, heavy cargo, usage of AC or auxiliary heater etc.
Q What happens with a battery which is replaced in a workshop, and then sent back to Volvo cars?
A All Batteries globally are sent to regional hubs in which they are diagnosed to identify the fault and decide upon further handling.
Q What do we answer if a customer asks what a replacement battery costs?
A The price quoted to the customer must reflect the real local retail price for the repair.
Q How to response dissatisfaction with the electric range?
A A battery diagnostics is performed to understand if there are any problems with the
battery. If issues are detected, the warranty procedure applies.
Q Do lithium ion batteries need to be fully charged before first use?
A No
Q Can you overcharge a PHEV?
A No
Q Where do I recharge PHEV?
A PHEVs can be plugged into a household outlet using dedicated charging cables.
Most customers recharge overnight in their garage, carport or driveway, but naturally future BEVs are going to be compatible with public chargers as well. Approximately 80 percent of all charging today happens at home (or at work).
Q How much does the PHEV Battery weigh?
A Approximately 130Kg (290lbs)
Q Is the Battery flammable?
A A battery will only be flammable through mistreatment or outside intrusion. Electric
vehicle batteries are less flammable than regular fuel.
Q Can Electric Vehicles self-charge?
A In a certain sense; PHEVs and BEVs recapture some of their energy back into the
batteries by regenerative braking. PHEVs may also charge using a charging function from the gas engine
Q What is regenerative braking?
A Electric motors use energy to create vehicle motion. When a Vehicle is reducing
speed the motion can be used to generate electricity, which will be fed back to the battery. Consequently the vehicle's range is extended.
Q How are Hybrid Batteries connected?
A Hybrid Batteries are connected in series, one positive to one negative. For each added battery cell the voltage increases
Q What are MHEV, PHEV and BEV?
A MHEV Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle Battery is used during acceleration and to support the 12V system PHEV Plugin Hybrid Electric Vehicle Either the electric motor alone, the ICE* or combination of both BEV Battery Electric Vehicle Electric mode only
*ICE Internal Combustion Engine
Q What are a Battery 1st, 2nd, 3rd life, or remanufacturing?
A 1st life 2nd life
Recycling Reman
battery usage in the vehicle
reusage in a vehicle, or as energy storage
batteries are recycled for their rare metals
Rebuilding of a product as the original manufactured product using a mixture of reused, repaired and new parts. Remanufacturing requires the repair or replacement of worn out or outdated modules.
Q What does a Battery Cycle mean?
A One cycle of a battery is a discharge from full charge to full discharge, and a return to full charge again.
