Ishay' izule no: Zandile Tembe

BAZINIKELE ekugcineni igama lezimoto zabo lisezingeni eliphezulu ngesitayela esinesizotha, bebe beqikelela ukuphepha nobuchwepheshe obusezingeni eliphezulu.

I-Volvo iyigama elihlonishwayo kwezezimoto ngenxa yezinga nobunyoninco abakhanda ngalo izimoto zabo.

I-Volvo S90 EV ehamba ngogesi kuphela, yethulwe ngokusemthethweni kuleli ngoMarch nonyaka, kanti kayizange iphoxe kulokho abakwa-Volvo abazakhele igama ngakho.

Okuhlabe umxhwele yibanga layo eliwu-450 wamakhilomitha uma ishajwe (charge) ngokugcwele. Uma uyiqhathanisa nezinye ezihamba ngogesi, leli yibanga elide.

Ngaphezu kokubheka ukuthi imoto izomelana yini nezidingo zezindlela zansuku zonke, okunye okubalulekile ngemoto ekuleli zinga, wukuthi izomelana yini nemigwaqo yakuleli, okungeke kugcine sekukufaka ezindlekweni ezingaphezulu.

Nakhu okuhambisana nenani le-ES90 eliqala ku-R1.59 wezigidi, okusho ukuthi ifanele amaphakethe aqumbile, ngoba iyimoto edinga umuntu ozaziyo ukuthi ungubani futhi ufunani.

Imigwaqo eminingi yakuleli kayimihle, futhi inemigodi. Imigwaqo emikhulu iyalungiswa, ngakho kawudingi nje imoto enethezekile, kodwa kumele iphinde imelane nalezi zimo.

Ungaba manqika ngenxa yokuba phansi kwayo (low suspension), okuyilapho ubuchwepheshe be-air suspension nokubamba kwe-chasis yayo kwenza umsebenzi omuhle ekuzinzeni kwayo emgwaqweni, nokumelana nemigwaqo engemihle.

Kuyancomeka ukuthi kulezi zimo i-ES90 ishayeleka ngolukhulu uzinzo, ne-steering esilula.

Abathandi beVolvo bayincoma ngokwakheka nesitayela sayo esiphambili sakoScandinavia, okuyindawo ehlonishwa ngokusungula izinto ezinobunyoninco obuphambili.

Ukwakheka kwayo ngaphandle kuyisitayela esizothile, nokwakheka kolayini okungayifanisa nokwendiza (aerodynamic silhouette), namalambu e-LED abizwa nge-Thor Hammer, amafasitela angenawo amafuremu, okuyenza ibe semgangathweni.

Izivalo yilezi ezingadonswa uma uyivula (flush door handles), kodwa ziyaziphakamela lapho usondela nesikhiye sayo sobuchwephese (digital key), esisebenza ngesensa (sensor) uma usondela noma usuka eduze kwayo.

Okungithathe kakhulu wuphahla lwe-panoramic, olungenisa ukukhanya kwemvelo, kuphinde kulethe nomthunzi osebenza ngogesi osebenza nge- electrochromic shading technology.

Ingaphakathi layo livulekile kwabangemuva nangaphambili. Ngike ngafisa ukushayelelwa ngizwe ubuthebelele bangemuva.

Izihlalo zayo ngezesikhumba sohlobo oluphambili,  ungafunga ukuthi usegumbini lakho lokuphumula. I-Volvo iqhube isisho sayo sokukhiqiza izimoto eziqhakambisa intokomalo nokunethezeka okuwuthulamsindo, ngokusebenzisa ubunjiniyela nesakhiwo somgangatho.

Inohlelo lokukhipha umoya (airconditioner) ohlungiwe nohlanzekile, kanti izihlalo zinomshini okubhucungayo (massage).

I-ES90 isebenzisa umsakazo we-Bowers & Wilkins, eyaziwa ngekhwalithi yayo ephambili nekhiqiza umsindo ohluzekile, uzwa zonke izinsimbi namanothi (notes).

Ibhuthi lingamalitha angu-424, kanti uma ulalisa izihlalo zangemuva iba ngamalitha angu-1400. Ziningi izinhlaka ezakhelwe ukuphepha njengokwaziwa kwe-Volvo kuzo zonke izimoto zabo.

I-ES90 ngingacishe ngiyifungele ukuthi ngeke ube nengozi kalula kuyo ngenxa yezokuphepha kwayo.

Inezinto ezifana ne-advanced collision avoidance, ukukugcina emzileni wakho (lane-keeping assistance), izinhlelo ezakhelwe ukusiza umshayeli agxile ohambeni lwakhe (driver monitoring systems).

Ikwazisa nangabamabhayisikili nabahamba ngezinyawo, ukuze uqaphele (pedestrian and cyclist detection), ikhamera ezungeze yonke imoto (360-degree camera systems) nokunye.

Uma uzoshaja ekhaya, ubhekene nenani lika-R3 kuya ku-R4 wamakhilowathi (kWh) awu-100, ukugcwalisa i-battery ubhekene nenani lika-R350.

Lokhu kungakunika amakhilomitha awu-450 nangaphezudlwana emgwaqweni kuye ngokuthi uhamba endaweni enjani.

Uma ushaje egalaji inani lisukela ku-R7 kuya ku-R8 wamakhilowathi angu-100, lokhu kungenxa yokuthi egalaji ishaja ngokushesha.

Lona ligcwala ngo-R700 kuya ku-R850, lokhu kuphinde kukunike isithombe ngomehluko phakathi kukagesi nophethiloli.