Electric Car Range on my car is way lower than the number stated on my contract. What are my rights?

sapan_babel

Hi, 

I bought a Volvo XC60 Hybrid back in 2022 and during the contract signing process, the dealer and I signed a paper with clearly states that capacity of my Electric batter as 51Kms. But since day 1, all it has charged to is 38Kms. I have raised this case multiple times with Volvo and dealer but they are not helpful and not able to identify the fault. In fact, the customer support rep told me to log a case with Motor Ombudsman which I have done. But its been 1 year and I have not heard back from Motor Ombudsman. 

I feel cheated and I would have probably bought an Audi if the range was not misleading. I am now considering legal action via "No Win No Fee" lawyers and wanted to reach out here to see if someone has experience facing similar problem and can recommend the best course of action. 

Just to be clear, I am not talking about drainage when I am driving (that is a different problem) but instead its like I was sold a car stating I can fuel up to 100 litres in my tank but I am only able to fill 50 and the dealer says that they cant figure out the problem. 

Thank you 

Aylesbury_Duck

sapan_babel said:

Hi, 

I bought a Volvo XC60 Hybrid back in 2022 and during the contract signing process, the dealer and I signed a paper with clearly states that capacity of my Electric batter as 51Kms. But since day 1, all it has charged to is 38Kms. I have raised this case multiple times with Volvo and dealer but they are not helpful and not able to identify the fault. In fact, the customer support rep told me to log a case with Motor Ombudsman which I have done. But its been 1 year and I have not heard back from Motor Ombudsman. 

I feel cheated and I would have probably bought an Audi if the range was not misleading. I am now considering legal action via "No Win No Fee" lawyers and wanted to reach out here to see if someone has experience facing similar problem and can recommend the best course of action. 

Just to be clear, I am not talking about drainage when I am driving (that is a different problem) but instead its like I was sold a car stating I can fuel up to 100 litres in my tank but I am only able to fill 50 and the dealer says that they cant figure out the problem. 

Thank you 

Have you actually tested the range, rather than relying on the trip computer?  For ICE cars, trip computers are notoriously inaccurate, the only proper way of measuring consumption is to fully fuel and note the mileage, drive until nearly empty, refuel until full, note the mileage and do the calculation.  Have you tried similar to see how many kilometres you can actually drive on a full electric charge?

Is it a case that the car remembers your prior driving patterns and calculates that a full charge will give you 38km, because you use things like aircon, lights, radio, etc?  

What outcome are you after?  What is the actual financial cost of those missing 13km of theoretical range?

Keep_pedalling

The capacity is measured in KWhs and the maximum range in km and you need to drive very gently to get that maximum range, which will also be lower in the winter (especially for short journeys). It is not a fault, and you have not been robbed, you have just not done your homework. 

Had you purchased an Audi you would almost certainly be making the same complaint. 

DullGreyGuy

Doesn't it operate like an ICE car in that the estimated range is adjusted based on your style of driving and other factors (eg outside temp)?

The battery can only really be defined by the amount of charge it holds, what mileage you'd get from it depends on how you drive, if the AC/heater is on, windows up or down, outside temp etc. Official ranges will, hopefully, follow a standard testing process which will be fairly close to ideal conditions and so "optimistic" compared to your average driver. 

Jenni_D

The hybrid battery probably has a capacity of 18kWh. (I was previously to be getting a V60 company car but the order was cancelled by Volvo - this was to have an 18kWh battery so I guess the XC60 is the same). This gives a WLTP range of about 51 miles, but in reality you'd be doing well to get 40 miles.

born_again

In a word none.
WLTP figures are there as a comparison feature only.

I could drive my car one way & get far in excess of figures. Go the other way & it's far less. All due to the slope of the land.
You also have to factor in your RIGHT foot.. Makes a big difference, as any driver of a car that requires some form of battery propulsion will tell you.
So flog it down a M/Way @70 mph, will never get the range quoted. Tootle round town & it should not be a issue (depending on if the car has a PTC heater, or relies on engine to heat car)

To make the point Kia E-Niro has a quoted WLTP of 282. In Summer I have had 315 & still getting over 280 miles now. Other are getting far less.
Just the same as very few drivers get the same MPG as the quoted WLTP.

Money_Grabber13579

The OP has stated the range in KM but I’d have thought that in the UK, it would have been in miles? Is it possible the range in the car is in miles, but KM in the documentation? Possibly not though because they’d then be getting a bigger range than claimed. Otherwise all the other comments about driving style will affect the range. When I fill up my petrol car, the range will be around 350 miles but someone else in an identical car might end up with a range of 400 miles - it’s all about how the car has been driven in the past and it adjusts accordingly.

bluelad1927

sapan_babel said:

 instead its like I was sold a car stating I can fuel up to 100 litres in my tank but I am only able to fill 50 and the dealer says that they cant figure out the problem. 

I love a dodgy statistic
 It's not like this at all

Arunmor

How much research did you do into the difference between very carefully calibrated official figures and real figures.  There are so many variables outside temp, type of roads, congestion etc etc.

I'm afraid you will have to suck it up.

Here is a review that will help explain real life driving in this car.

https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/cars/reviews/volvo-xc60-t6-plus

njkmr

I think what the OP is saying is that it only ever shows a range of 38kms, from fully charged so hes asking why the literature he was given, advised on, said it should charge to 51kms.
They clearly think this is false information as a car charged to 38km,s may never and probably will never ,achieve 51km,s from a full charge?
It if was charging to 51kms as estimated range and doesnt achieve this then yes many factors come into play and manufacturer will argue why it doesnt achieve this but they are saying it charges only to 38kms in the first place so given false info before purchase?

Keep_pedalling

njkmr said:

I think what the OP is saying is that it only ever shows a range of 38kms, from fully charged so hes asking why the literature he was given, advised on, said it should charge to 51kms.
They clearly think this is false information as a car charged to 38km,s may never and probably will never ,achieve 51km,s from a full charge?
It if was charging to 51kms as estimated range and doesnt achieve this then yes many factors come into play and manufacturer will argue why it doesnt achieve this but they are saying it charges only to 38kms in the first place so given false info before purchase?

The range shown on the GOM, will not simply be based on the state of charge, but also on the outside temperature, and previously achieved range which will be greatly effected by the length and type of journey made plus how heavy the OP is with there right foot.