Last year, Volvo announced its first fully electric car will be built in China, based on the Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) used in the XC40. A report by Autocar UK has now revealed the model will be a production version of the 40.2 concept shown to us in the past.
If the XC40 and 40.1 concept were any indication, the production version of the 40.2 will likely retain many of the concept’s design details in its final form. Initially, the 40.2 was widely regarded as a preview for the next-generation V40 or S40, although nothing is set in stone for now.
Volvo’s battery electric vehicle (BEV) is set to go on sale in 2019, although details about its powertrain have not surfaced. Reports indicate the platform is capable of handling electric motor outputs ranging from 10 0kW (134 hp) to 450 kW (603 hp).
A modular battery pack located in the centre tunnel provides power to the motor(s), which can be 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. Even so, the company is looking to enhance the all-electric range offered to better compete against other carmakers.
“That’s the area [of range] we’re aiming at. We’re in the middle of development and we are constantly chasing new steps. It’s quite different to developing a car compared to five or 10 years ago. You set a prerequisite three or four years before a car’s launch and you ran towards that target, and if you did that well, you came out with a competitive offer,” said Henrik Green, senior vice president of research and development at Volvo.
“But in this case, it feels like every month we are updating the requirement, trying to add new competitive edges to the car because the technology is moving so fast now on a lot of areas, so it’s much more of a moving target,” he added.
The modular approach with the vehicle’s battery and electric motor configuration allow Volvo to meet different customer requirements. “The goal is to address the broader population with cost-efficient solutions and then address a more premium segment with more motor power and longer range,” noted Green.
“We are coming from a history of always driving around with tons of range from a petrol tank. As generations grow up only knowing electric vehicles, I believe they will settle around a convenient battery size, what they need for one day. But in the transition time, a lot of people used to having a long range will pay for having a long range on electric vehicles,” he explained further.
GALLERY: Volvo 40.2 concept
