Soaring fuel prices have cast a spotlight on the benefits of electric vehicle (EV) ownership. South African motorists who may have been averse to the concept before might reconsider their stance in light of potentially lower running costs.
With the current hikes of fossil fuel costs as a result of war in the Middle East, two EV models arrived timeously at our offices for closer inspection.
First up is the Volvo EX30, priced from R835,500 to R1,165,000. The latter, the most expensive model in the range, is the Cross Country Twin Motor Performance Ultra, which we tested.
It is a bit of a mouthful, but the first part of the title simply means a more rugged execution versus the standard vehicle, while “Twin Motor Performance Ultra” denotes just that: two propulsion sources (one at the front axle and one at the rear) in the most potent state of tune.
That means the EX30 can scoot from standstill to 100km/h in as little as 3.7 seconds, thanks to its 315kW/543Nm output. It certainly feels that rapid in the real world, embarrassing more expensive performance vehicles without breaking a sweat.
But of greater concern here is the vehicle’s range. Volvo quotes a maximum of 427km, neither the best nor the worst of the EV pack at large. The battery capacity is 69kWh. Based on what it costs per kWh to charge at a public DC facility (R7.35), expect to pay R507.15 to fully replete the battery. Our average electricity consumption indicated on the on-board computer was 22.6kWh/100km.
The adventurous garb on our test vehicle is not standard; the unit was kitted out for an earlier undertaking up the Sani Pass.
The Volvo is a stylish vehicle with rapid performance, but those buyers accustomed to the brand’s past way of doing things will find the cabin and interface to be a radical departure.
Virtually all functions, including side mirror adjustment — and even opening the cubby — are handled via the screen. The specification is decent, although the fitment of coarse-fabric upholstery at this price point does not align with Volvo’s “premium” ambitions.
In addition, its driver assistance functions are constantly chiming and sensitive to the point of intrusion. Owners are likely to find themselves deactivating the systems each time they are behind the wheel.
Also odd is the buttonless, wireless key fob. −The Leapmotor C10 is similarly “digitised” and uses a card instead of a conventional key fob. To gain access to the vehicle, you slide the card over a sensor on the side mirror − but sometimes the sensor did not read.
Pricing for the C10 ranges from R759,900 for the Style model to R799,900 for the Design. Leapmotor is a Chinese brand with an affiliation to European giant Stellantis. Now, while the C10 is technically an EV, it also falls into the Range Extender Electric Vehicle category. Put simply, it has a 1.5l petrol engine in addition to a battery and electric motor but the engine does not power the wheels; it serves exclusively to charge the battery.
The technology is not new − it was offered as far back as 2015 with the BMW i3 − but it has improved greatly, to the point where a vehicle like the Leapmotor C10 can give drivers a range of as much as 970km.
The battery yields a claimed range of 145km on pure electric power, at which point it can be plugged in like any EV or you can let the petrol motor do its thing.
The battery capacity is 28.4kWh, so work on an amount of R208.74 for a full charge at a public DC facility. The fuel tank is 50l. Average electricity consumption was 13.6kWh/100km, while the petrol engine used 7.3l/100km.
Performance is adequate, covering the 0-100km/h sprint in a claimed 8.5 seconds, with its EV motor’s 158kW/320Nm being sent to the rear wheels. Like the Volvo’s, the C10’s interface and overly sensitive driver assistance systems take some getting used to. But what requires an even bigger adjustment is your sense of hearing: the constant drone of the 1.5l engine in the background grows tiresome.
The C10 has an attractive appearance; some likened it in certain respects to a shrunken-down Porsche Cayenne, and its cabin feels suitably plush too.
While EV options are unlikely to supplant internal combustion counterparts in our market, cars like the Volvo EX30 and Leapmotor C10 are among an increasing number of entrants giving SA consumers alternatives.
