Volvo says the EX30 and EX90 EVs cannot be jump started

EX30 and EX90 EVs

In a move that will likely get Volvo and possibly Polestar in hot water, Volvo says that its EX30 and EX90 EVs (electric vehicles) cannot be jump started!

However, the hot water may only exist in Massachusetts…

We have been gathering information, images and videos in order to create a video with guidelines for jump starting Volvo and Polestar EVs. We have done this now for several EV manufacturers, as there is a general lack of understanding that all EVs feature a 12-volt start battery that is as likely to be a problem as often as they are in old school gas and diesel powered vehicles.

And while the start process is considerably different in an EV, an EV with a dead 12-volt start battery can be jump started.

Well, most of them.

The 12-volt Terminal

In gathering our data for Volvo and Polestar, we’ve run into something called a 12-volt terminal. Polestar‘s is to the right.

That terminal is described as allowing access to the vehicle’s interior, which is necessary for any next steps, such as jump starting or replacing the start battery. But no instructions for this are available anywhere and Volvo Roadside Assistance simply stated that the cars cannot be jump started.

The same situation is in play for the Polestar 3 and 4, although Polestar Roadside simply said they had no answer on how to jump start the vehicles.

We have yet to confirm this, but it is quite likely that the 12-volt terminal may allow enough juice to flow into the 12-volt battery that actually driving it to a repair shop may be possible! This is not true of the Mustang Mach-e or all Tesla vehicles, which provide interior access in much the same way. They still require a jump start to get the vehicles moving.

So, even if the Volvo and Polestar models in question can be made drivable, the problem remains that only a Volvo or Polestar service center will have the skills and knowhow to charge or replace the start battery. This is where Massachusetts comes into play.

Right to Repair

According to Wikipedia, a Right to Repair law, which would restrict an auto manufacturer’s ability to keep repair information, repair parts, and special tools to themselves, “was first considered at the federal level in 2001, but no provisions were adopted until the Massachusetts legislature enacted Right to Repair bill H. 4362 on July 31, 2012. This law was passed in advance of a binding ballot initiative referendum which appeared on Massachusetts’s statewide ballot also on November 6. The measure passed with 86% voter support.”

The Massachusetts legislature enacted a bill that reconciled the two laws. “Early in 2014, the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association, Coalition for Auto Repair Equality, Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, and the Association for Global Automakers signed a memorandum of understanding that is based on the Massachusetts law and which would commit the vehicle manufacturers to meet the requirements of the Massachusetts law in all fifty states.”

So, we’re left with what appears to be essentially an honor system that, at least in the U.S., given the general simplicity surrounding the replacement of 12-volt batteries, we think will leave a good many Volvo and Polestar customers angry with the very limited repair options over time. The European Union will have something to say about this as well.

And it has to be noted that every other EV made by these two manufacturers have clear jump start instructions and easy access to the 12-volt batteries themselves.

Time will tell, and we’ll keep you up to date.

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The material on these pages is provided for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

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