Swedish automaker Volvo has previously stated that it wants half of it's vehicles sold in 2025 to be fully electric. Before even starting, we have been told that the brand's first all-electric offering will be the new XC40 seen at the Montreal Auto Show last January.
We won't have to wait long for it's appearance. As soon as the conventional version hits the pavement, the manufacturer will begin preparations for it's battery-powered sibling. The news was confirmed by former Volvo design boss Thomas Ingenlath, who now heads the Polestar division within the Volvo Group. He also recalled that unlike some rivals, the company was not planning a line-up of new, purely electric models, but rather to add electric options to existing Volvo models.
We know that Jaguar will soon be launching it's I-Pace and that Mercedes-Benz is working on the EQ, among others.
However, it would be inaccurate to say that Volvo is not creating any new vehicles with electric powertrains. The company recently set up the Polestar division, which will promote its own creations. The first of these, the Polestar 1, is a plug-in hybrid coupe that will sell for over $150,000 (USD). It's production is scheduled to launch in early 2019. A compact sedan named Polestar 2 will follow, just before the XC40.
As for the XC40, it is expected that its range will be around 400 kilometres, a standard that has quietly become the industry benchmark. Volvo may offer more than one battery option, a strategy made popular with Tesla. The selling price should range between $35,000 USD and $40,000 USD.
The car, whose architecture was originally designed for an electric motor, will be built in China, but distributed worldwide, including North America.