According to a report by Green Car Congress, Volvo will introduce its first battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and a new 48 V mild hybrid system in 2019, as well as its T5 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid powertrain in 2018. This was revealed by Mats Anderson, senior director of electric propulsion systems at Volvo, during this year’s SAE Hybrid & Electric Vehicle Technologies Symposium in San Diego.
For BEVs, Volvo will be looking to ensure cost effective production by developing modular battery packs that can be fitted to the company’s Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) and Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platforms – allowing the company to meet different needs.
Outputs can range from 100 kW (134 hp) to 450 kW (603 hp), with power sourced from battery packs than are up to 100 kWh in size. No official word on the vehicle’s range, although it will reportedly offer up to 482 km between charges.
The electric powertrain is said to support AC charging of up to 20 kW and high-speed DC charging, with support for the Combined Charging System (CCS) and CHAdeMO quick charging standard. The Swedish carmaker is also a member of the Charging Interface Initiative association, and plans to introduce one million electrified Volvos on the road by 2025.
In 2019, Volvo will also introduce a 48 V mild hybrid system, applicable for both its petrol and diesel engines. The system will feature a 10 kW electric motor in its first generation, with plans for a 15 kW unit in the future. A 0.25 kWh 48V Li-ion battery will supply energy to the motor, along with a separate 12V battery.
Volvo’s T5 Twin Engine, which was revealed for the brand’s new CMA, will be unveiled in 2018. The powertrain is said to debut on the upcoming XC40 that will be launched later this year, featuring a 1.5 litre three-cylinder Drive-E petrol engine, a 55 kW (74 hp) electric motor and a 9.7 kWh lithium-ion traction battery located within the platform’s central tunnel.
GALLERY: Volvo CMA platform
