Volvo’s first fully-electric vehicle will boast a range of at least 400 km when it arrives on the market in 2019, with starting prices between US$35,000-$40,000 (RM155,786-RM178,042); these are the targets the company has to meet if it is to do well in the US market, said Lex Kerssemakers, chief executive officer of Volvo Car USA to Automotive News.
“That’s what I put in as the prerequisite for the United States. If I want to make a point in the US, if I want to make volumes, that’s what I believe I need,” Kerssemakers said. There has been no confirmation on specific models to gain the full EV drivetrain, though it will be developed with modular battery packs that will fit the company’s Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) and Scalable Product Architecture platforms.
The CMA will underpin the upcoming XC40, which is slated for debut this year, while the SPA forms the basis for the likes of the XC90, S90/V90, and just-launched XC60. Though the eventual form of Volvo’s EV has yet to be confirmed, it will need to have far greater range than customers will actually need, says Kerssemakers; a 100kWh battery will feature in the model slated for a 2019 release.
“Why are people reluctant to buy a full electric car? It’s between the ears. It’s that they believe there’s not sufficient range,” he said. Additionally, electric cars have no need to be ugly, said Dr. Peter Mertens, senior vice president, Research and Development at Volvo.
“I always ask myself the question, ‘why the hell do electric vehicles have to be ugly? I don’t see any reason in that and we said from the beginning, it doesn’t matter if you have a combustion engine, plug-in hybrid or battery electric, you’ll have a beautiful Volvo with all the safety features, all the comfort, and all the ingredients that Volvo have to offer and not somebody yelling, ‘I’m different, I’m different, I’m electric’,” Mertens said.
GALLERY: Volvo 40.1 and 40.2 concepts
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WOW, a full EV with a 400km range by 2019 ! Bravo VOLVO. I hope by then U would have developed a small car/Suv for the messes as well bcos fossil fuels is not going to last forever. TQ Volvo.
New XC40/S40 by end of this year.
Volvo > all
Very nice design volvo car. For those basher who wants to use this topic to ask people not to buy new car, please work harder to make more income rather than show your jelousy on people success
Proton EV dreams come true!
This is why we need Geely to own Proton. Volvo was dead before. When Geely took over, the Volvo cars became laku.
Time for us to sell Proton 100% to China
If sell to Geely, director cannot go Paris, syiok2 do “business trip”. If go China, not glamorous.
So they all prefer Msian suffer French cars again. As if Tiara, Savvy, Waja 1.8 not enough lesson why French are crap.
And prepare for stupid expensive parts that won’t last.
What U said is true if U use the yardstick of previous failure of Tiara, Savvy & Waja 1.8
U think our Gov or P1 have learn their lesson ?!
They now like stroke victim, nyawa2 ikan, still syok sendiri claim they can compete if got foreign partner. At home pun kena dapao by Perodua and Honda lel.
Even eksyen to Geely, demand this, demand that, Geely tulan edi. Had they obeyed Geely’s requests, they’d have bright future like Volvo and London cab, doing so well now.
You tell me.
Volvo servis sucks big time.
Tok kok. VW, Peugeot service are the ones that sucks big time.
Go ask Volvo owners page in fb, they all say ok je.
Yea, it’s expensive, abuden? Merc, BMW servis cheap like Axia?
Even so, before this they used to have 5 years free service parts and labour.
After that, go outside la cheaper.
“electric cars have no need to be ugly”… precisely!
Inb4 Bateri kong RM60k gone..
Proton transform into Geely’s Super Premium glorified sub-brand.
Lexus, Infiniti, Acura, Genesis …
Janji Volvo > all
Looks most promising EV maker after Tesla. The rest all behind this tongsan brand.
Wow! Rear like new CRV… oh wait
The irony Honda become copycat like tongsan company, but Volvo is the tongsan company one got copycat-ed.
The Jazz SUV pun mau copycat buntut tongsan car.
Volvo does have brilliant leader ..judging from what they said
Well done volvo to lead the eev sector
Beautiful!!!
volvo > mercedes. enuf said.
Sapott YB!! http://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2017/03/15/proton-tieup-will-benefit-industry-players-miti/
any interstate services say from singapore to kl?