Considering a XC60 T8

[Goodshot]

Originally Posted by dazza666

Hi all, after months of research - I think its quite clear that the XC60 has to be one of the best cars to purchase at the moment. Im tossing up this car between the porsche panamera ehybrid or the iPace. It helps that the XC60 supports Android auto, which the others do not!, it's a fair bit cheaper as well. So I think overall its the best option.

I apologise for something that has no doubt been posted before, but the search doesn't let me look for 't8' as its too short a word.

What i'm struggling with is finding out a real MPG figure on a longish run. At the moment for example I travel 110 miles a day, about 80% is motorway @ 70MPH, the rest country lanes (around 40 - 50 mph). I would hope for a average of 50MPG here, but some things i've read seem to indicate I would be lucky to scrape 30.

It may be possible to charge at the destination, but lets not assume this as I don't know for certain.

What would I expect in terms of running costs for this. I know the T8 should do around 25 miles on battery, but how realistic is this?

It would seal the deal if you could get a charge up at your destination.

The economics of T8's are questionable considering the extra cost, unless you have the added benefit of company ownership.

Good friend has a Tesla - but suffers from range anxiety! I'll be waiting for a 500 mile battery to cover regular 300 mile trips.

[dazza666]

Originally Posted by MaDProFF

I have an order in for a XC 60 T8, my buy reasoning I felt it was best car for value that I could get through my Company, for performance etc. running costs, Company Tax breaks etc. Becareful regarding the Government grant, it is not a for gone conclusion you get one, it is budget left in pot dependant. (Mine has been granted)
I also got the 50% down and 0% finance on rest and they also added £1000-00 Contribution, add that, and my discount, corporation tax back, gov grant, VAT return etc. run it in the business, it is a cheap car, even the £599 for 5 yr service plan is pretty good on such a high performance car, that is about 1 yrs worth on the AMG.

I had a deposit for an Ipace, but pulled it due to the cost, but more so the fact even buying top of range I was adding loads to make it up to a decent standard, like heated steering wheel, mats, privacy glass and so on.

If you ordered Ipace now with no previous deposit doubt you see it before July next year.

Regarding Fuel Comsuption it really is all about how you drive in my opinion, I would expect 50 MPG over journeys with a full charge as a start.
I found using High Octane fuel with remap can make a difference too.

I get 38 mpg out my AMG GLA 45 if driven at speed of general traffic motorway or town, I could quite easily get sub 30 if driven slightly differently, then there is Low 20's if I drive like a lunatic sometimes.
Same as a V6 3 litre Vito Van, loaded, easy mid 30's driven at a decent pace, just how you Drive.

I am a little disappointed with MY19 changes to engine performance, but no MY 18's about new now.
I am also a little concerned about law changes to engine sounds for all new Electric / Hybrid from 2019, but all cars old and new in 2021 have to make a noise according to some sources, (Volvo do not think this is the case) and at present Volvos do not.

Good Luck with Choice, Never an easy one

Very interesting, sounds like your in almost the exact same position as me. I too was very interested in the iPace, but after I specced it up to what I wanted it came out a touch over 80k, and no Android auto, the whole infotainment system was dated in fact, a shame. Smartphone integration is a requirement for me at this price.

50% down 0% finance sounds very promising, are they still doing that? I will likely be purchasing through my company as well. I need to work out what will be the over all best option. £599 for a 5 year service plan also sounds steller, every time I take the BMW in I get a £500 bill without fail, and don't even get me started on the tyres.

What are the MY19 changes to engine performance; I haven't seen anything about this?

[dazza666]

Originally Posted by ukden

With that sort of usage, you could get 50+ mpg if you bought a D4.

I don't doubt it, but I want the tech! I want a electric drivetrain! Purely financially the 10k or so extra the hybrid system costs over the diesel doesn't make full sense unless you exclusively use it for 20 mile round trips in a city like environment over 5 years if we're being honest!!!

[dazza666]

Originally Posted by Director76

If your journeys match the sweet spot of the T8 (I reckon <40 miles a day) you can get some remarkable mpg figures. Mrs D76 often takes it to work, 32 miles, town at each end, dual carriageway/ motorway the rest, generally up hill going down hill going back, she’ll regularly see (from the on call app) 57mpg going, and 120mpg coming back. Single charge, by the way, she can’t garage at work. Using fuelly our best tankful has been 76mpg, last one was 56mpg.

But trip up to Scotland last month, 221 miles each way, 30.2mpg going and 36.6mpg coming back, each time starting with a full charge.

110 a day with no charge up at work, you’ll see maybe 32-35, maybe less.

A trick is careful use of hold and B. Use the ICE up hills and the EV on flat surfaces when you’ve built up speed, flick regularly between D and B to max recovery.

It’s a great Powertrain though!

hmm, yes I can see that being realistic! Thanks for your input. So, if I charged at work, so did 60 miles with a full charge, fully charged at work, 60 miles back - what would you expect me to get then?

[dazza666]

Originally Posted by Gneissnz

I’d really have to say that the journey in the OP is too long to see any advantage in a current T8 or any premium hybrid. I cover around 40km/day and my T8 is perfect, I barely ever use petrol anymore. I recently did a 1200km round trip journey so used petrol most of the way. I got about 6litres/100km or 40mpg. Long distance the best economy is still going to be diesel I’d reckon unless you go Tesla.

40MPG over that distance sounds impressive. I love the drive train of the Tesla, but I don't really rate the interior or the external looks. Compared to the Volvo I don't think it can hold a candle to it. If it looked more like a i8, then I would have probably ordered already!

[Director76]

Originally Posted by dazza666

hmm, yes I can see that being realistic! Thanks for your input. So, if I charged at work, so did 60 miles with a full charge, fully charged at work, 60 miles back - what would you expect me to get then?

I think you could expect 45mpg over 60 miles stratomg with a full charge, provided you drive with an eye on the optimal settings and tweak as you go. (Ie, hold, B, switching between hybrid and pure)

Depends on temperature, preconditioning the battery, how many hills (that works two ways if you going and coming back on the same route!)

[Goodshot]

Just a question on hybrid driving. Say you do your first 15 miles on electric and then switch to petrol, I assume your petrol engine is cold and at its least efficient - consumption wise?

[Director76]

Originally Posted by Goodshot

Just a question on hybrid driving. Say you do your first 15 miles on electric and then switch to petrol, I assume your petrol engine is cold and at its least efficient - consumption wise?

Doesn’t really work like that. For a short city speed journey you can run around on pure without starting the engine, but getting up to cruising speeds on undulating roads or motorways the ICE will cut in when there is plenty of battery left, so you tend to use the battery in parallel (but not concurrently) with the engine.

The aux heating system bring the petrol engine coolant temperature up and you find that apart for the first time the petrol kicks in (when it may stay on a few minutes) the petrol will flick in and out perhaps on being on for only a few seconds.

I find on A road driving hybrid is better for overall efficiency than pure as it bring the ICE in sooner so you can use the accelerator to control when you need some boost from petrol. I find it’s best to bring the car up to fast cruising and on hills with ICE as this uses battery fast, the battery juice is best trickled in on level cruising when you’ve built speed up, to stretch out the charge to max.

When the battery is gone, running on pure maxes out electric running opportunities

Mrs D76 can work it so the battery runs out as she pulls onto the drive after her 32 mile round trip commute

[Goodshot]

Originally Posted by Director76

Doesn’t really work like that. For a short city speed journey you can run around on pure without starting the engine, but getting up to cruising speeds on undulating roads or motorways the ICE will cut in when there is plenty of battery left, so you tend to use the battery in parallel (but not concurrently) with the engine.

The aux heating system bring the petrol engine coolant temperature up and you find that apart for the first time the petrol kicks in (when it may stay on a few minutes) the petrol will flick in and out perhaps on being on for only a few seconds.

I find on A road driving hybrid is better for overall efficiency than pure as it bring the ICE in sooner so you can use the accelerator to control when you need some boost from petrol. I find it’s best to bring the car up to fast cruising and on hills with ICE as this uses battery fast, the battery juice is best trickled in on level cruising when you’ve built speed up, to stretch out the charge to max.

When the battery is gone, running on pure maxes out electric running opportunities

Mrs D76 can work it so the battery runs out as she pulls onto the drive after her 32 mile round trip commute

Thanks. Apart from local trips round town, most of my journeys will be a few miles to the flat motorway and then I assume mainly on ICE. Do you have to use the aux heating? I was assuming that I'd use the electric pre heating or cooling when it was on the charger.

I expect we'll all find different ways! Mrs Goodshot certainly will.

I notice you have BLISS in your spec. Is it worth it or is it annoying. Seems you can't have 360 without it so I might add to my spec.

[Director76]

Originally Posted by Goodshot

Thanks. Apart from local trips round town, most of my journeys will be a few miles to the flat motorway and then I assume mainly on ICE. Do you have to use the aux heating? I was assuming that I'd use the electric pre heating or cooling when it was on the charger.

I expect we'll all find different ways! Mrs Goodshot certainly will.

I notice you have BLISS in your spec. Is it worth it or is it annoying. Seems you can't have 360 without it so I might add to my spec.

There’s no electric preheat on UK spec cars, it uses the fuel heater for parking pre-heat. You can precool on mains electric (or battery) as the AC is electric not belt driven from the engine.

The preconditioning is as much about getting the battery to the right temperature as driver comfort. It does extend range.

You can turn off aux preheat from Sensus for when the car is in use, but you’d get little / no heating running in battery mode. I’m not sure if the car overrides this setting to provide aux heating to the ICE cooling circuit or battery pack of needed for ‘operational’ reasons.

I had BLIS as I wanted 360, but I’m very glad it’s a very useful additional safety prompt, and the cross traffic alert is clever and helpful