In a recent press release, Volvo is set to unveil the XC40 electric SUV early next month. Have you noticed the engine offerings in new Volvo cars lately? Almost all Volvo cars have smaller four-cylinder motors, with the current XC40 receiving a small three-cylinder powerplant. This current trend of downsizing is meant to slowly pave the way for an all-electric model.
And as it turns out, the XC40 compact luxury SUV will be first pure electric Volvo car to enter the market.
The new XC40 is not only all-electric, but it’s the safest Volvo as well
Volvo is synonymous with advanced safety. True to form, Volvo vehicles are among the safest you can buy today. This passion for safety continues in the new XC40. “The fully electric XC40 will be one of the safest cars we have ever built,” said Malin Ekholm, head of safety at Volvo cars. “Regardless of what drives a car forward, be it an electric machine or combustion engine, a Volvo must be safe.”
The Swedish carmaker did this by completely redesigning and reinforcing the frontal structure of the existing XC40, which is currently the leader in safety standards for small SUVs. In order to make up for the lack of an internal combustion engine, Volvo needed to design a new safety structure for both passengers and the floor-mounted battery pack.
The battery pack is resting on a new safety cage
Volvo went the extra mile to create a built-in crumple zone for the battery pack. This safety cage is constructed from extruded aluminum while the battery pack is mounted lower in the floor and in the middle of the safety cage to improve the vehicle’s center of gravity. This not only protects the battery and occupants from a collision but having a lower center of gravity also means better protection against roll-overs.
Both the front and rear section of the frame is reinforced for added safety
The unique thing about the new Volvo XC40 is the new electric powertrain. Volvo designed the rear-mounted electric motor to integrate with the overall body structure of the vehicle. As a result, collision forces are prevented from intruding into the passenger cell in the event of a crash.
Volvo’s goal is to significantly reduce the forces felt by the passengers inside the cabin to further lower the risk of injuries and/or death. “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,” said Ekholm.
The new Volvo XC40 benefits from a comprehensive and upgraded ADAS platform
No Volvo is complete without a newly-developed Advanced Driver Assistance System or ADAS. The new system runs on software engineered by Zenuity and utilizes a plethora of cameras, ultrasonic sensors, and radars. The new system is completely scalable and can be honed further to integrate autonomous driving technology in the coming years.
Given the 2020 Volvo XC40 is among the newest compact luxury SUVs today, we’re expecting the all-electric model to offer the many qualities that Volvo is known for. This includes those gorgeous floating air vents and the large yet fiddly touchscreen display.
The new Volvo XC40 will be unveiled on October 16
You don’t have to wait long to see the all-new Volvo XC40 electric. Following the release of a plug-in hybrid model with a 258-horsepower T5 Twin Engine, the all-electric XC40 will be shown to the public for the first time on October 16. Volvo is yet to release the final production specs of the electric XC40, but we do know the PHEV model is good for 28.6-miles (46 kilometers) of electric range.