Volvo Has An All-Electric XC40 EV Coming Mid October
Auto NewsWe’re all familiar with the XC40, Volvo’s smallest model in their current line-up and the first of their compact crossover vehicles – a stark departure from the sedans and wagons that bore the 40 suffix in the past, and highly indicative of the times.
Also known is the fact that Volvo is heavily invested in electrification with a plan to have nearly all their vehicles packing a mild-hybrid, full-hybrid, or full-electric powertrain by the end of 2019, and for half of all Volvo sales being electric vehicles by 2025.
But just as they’ve quietly set Nurburgring records, Volvo has quietly pushed out an all-electric vehicle in the form of the XC40 EV – slated to make its debut by mid-October. Perhaps it isn’t the largest surprise given that Volvo has always stated that their platforms are ready to accept hybrid systems or electric powertrain components.
Details for now are scarce, save for the fact that Volvo has reinforced the space formerly known as an engine bay and has also added reinforcements for the low-mounted battery packs in order to reduce the risk of a puncture and potential fires in the event of an accident, even going so far as to engineer an aluminium crumple zone surrounding the packs.
Also coming will be the latest and greatest electronic driving aids, the fruits of the partnership between Volvo and Zenuity, including camera, radar, and ultrasonic based systems to give the car a detailed view of its surroundings. Autonomous technology won’t quite make an appearance, but given the highly complex sensors and control systems it’s likely that such features could even be retrofitted via software updates.
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