Volvo has confirmed that it is just weeks away from revealing its first all-electric vehicle, which will join the range of its XC40 SUV.
The Swedish carmaker made the revelation along with various technical renderings of the powertrain and the claim that it will be “one of the safest cars on the road”.
The existing petrol and diesel Volvo XC40 range has been highly acclaimed by the UK motoring media, which is reflected in its strong Expert Rating according to The Car Expert’s all-new and unique Expert Rating system. This aggregates review scores from up to 20 different UK media titles to give car buyers the most impartial advice available.
Electric XC40 gets extensive reworking
Details about the powertrain, such as battery size and range, have yet to be fully revealed for the vehicle, though Volvo says it has extensively reworked the XC40 to make sure it remains safe for occupants despite no longer having an engine under the bonnet.
The existing XC40 received a five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP with excellent crash scores but, on a conventional car, the engine absorbs a large chunk of energy in the event of a crash.
The electric XC40 will have a redesigned and reinforced frontal structure, a totally new safety structure for passengers and the battery, and a reinforced rear structure. The battery pack has been integrated into the vehicle structure in a way that helps dissipate energies away from the passengers in the event of a crash.
It also debuts a new advanced driver assistance system, which includes an array of radars, cameras and ultrasonic sensors that could be adapted for use on other vehicles and easily upgraded as technology advances.
Malin Ekholm, head of safety at Volvo Cars, said: “Regardless of what drives a car forward, be it an electric machine or combustion engine, a Volvo must be safe. The fully electric XC40 will be one of the safest cars we have ever built.
“The fundamentals around safety are the same for this car as for any other Volvo. People are inside, and the car needs to be designed to be safe for them.”
The announcement comes shortly after a plug-in hybrid version of the XC40 joined the range, which will hit UK roads in February 2020 and joins plug-in hybrid versions of its bigger XC60 and XC90 siblings.
The all-electric XC40 will make its public debut on October 16 when Volvo will reveal further technical details.
