Ahead of its world premiere in just a couple of weeks, the electric Volvo XC40 is back for a second round of teasers revealing more details about the company’s first-ever EV. The eco-friendly crossover was actually first previewed back in 2016 with the 40.1 concept and now it’s getting reading to put on production-ready apparel with a design slightly different than the conventionally powered XC40.
With the internal combustion engine gone, it means the battery-powered crossover doesn’t need a big grille to cool down the internals. For this reason, Volvo has covered the conventional grille with a panel finished in the same color as the rest of the body to enable a more cohesive look. The newly added piece of bodywork also contains the company’s Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) sensor platform, which will turn the XC40 Electric into what Volvo argues will be one of the safest cars ever.
Gallery: Volvo XC40 Electric
There’s another benefit to getting rid of the ICE as the electric motor occupies less space, therefore freeing up more room at the front and allowing the engineers to create a “frunk” with approximately 30 liters (1.05 cubic feet) of extra cargo volume. That might not sound like much, but it’s good enough to store some small items without having to open the regular load compartment at the back.
Buyers will get to pick from eight exterior colors – including a new Sage Green metallic shade – and combine them with a black roof offered as standard to create a contrasting effect. Compared to the normal XC40, its electric sibling will have two fresh 19- and 20-inch alloy wheel designs allowing greater personalization while configuring your perfect compact crossover from the Swedes.
Volvo's Smallest Crossover In The News:
The teaser video attached at the top gives us the opportunity to have a look at the swanky new graphics of the instrument cluster, which has obviously been adapted for the vehicle’s electric powertrain. The transitions between various screens look silky smooth, and the graphics are crystal clear and easy to read. What the clip is not showing but Volvo mentions in the adjacent press release are the “sporty styling details” of the interior where there are going to be carpets made from recycled materials.
Based on the company’s Compact Modular Architecture (CMA), the all-electric XC40 will be just as roomy on the inside as its gasoline- or diesel-fueled sibling taking into consideration the battery pack has been integrated into the floor.
More details will be released in the weeks to come prior to the October 16 debut.
'Fully electric Volvo XC40 SUV heralds new electric future and does more with less
Sometimes less really is more: the forthcoming battery-powered Volvo XC40 SUV, Volvo Cars’ first fully electric car, proves that Volvo cars can be made better by taking certain things away.
The advance of electric cars constitutes the biggest change in the history of the automobile. For the first time in over a century, cars move without a petrol or diesel engine in the engine bay and have a battery in the floor, changing the car at its core.
It also means cars no longer need tailpipes or a large grille for cooling purposes, while the removal of an internal combustion engine creates extra room for even more storage space under the front hood.
At the same time the fully electric XC40 retains all the features that have made it one of Volvo Cars’ best-selling models. It also embraces the elegant, Scandinavian design language that has defined Volvo’s rebirth and combines good looks with utility and functionality.
“The roots of Scandinavian design are based on visual clarity and the reduction of element. The XC40 is a great example of this,” said Robin Page, head of design at Volvo Cars. “Its bold, instantly recognisable design is now even sleeker and more modern in the all-electric version. Without the need for a grille we have created an even cleaner and more modern face, while the lack of tailpipes does the same at the rear. This is the approach we will explore more and more as we continue down the road of electrification.”
A unique, covered front grille in body colour creates a distinct visual identity at the front of the car, made possible by the fact that an electric car needs less air flow for cooling purposes. The grille also neatly packages the sensors for the new Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) sensor platform.
Eight exterior colours, including a brand new Sage Green metallic option, allow drivers to personalise their electric XC40, while a contrasting black roof comes as standard. Two new 19” and 20” wheel options provide further opportunity for personalisation.
Inside, a brand new driver interface specifically designed for electric cars keeps drivers up to date on relevant information such as battery status, while the interior design package features sporty styling details as well as carpets made of recycled materials.
The battery-powered XC40, first previewed in the electric 40.1 Concept vehicle of 2016, is also an example of smart Volvo engineering. Based on Volvo’s Compact Modular Architecture (CMA), which was designed from the outset with electrification in mind, the battery pack is integrated into the floor of the car without affecting interior space.
This means the wealth of suitable and functional storage space around the cabin remains in place as one of the major attractions of the XC40. An ingenious and radical new approach to interior design provides XC40 drivers with, among other things, more functional storage space in the doors and under the seats, a fold-out hook for small bags and a removable waste bin in the tunnel console.
Unique to the electric XC40, a special front load compartment (or ‘frunk’) located under the front hood provides around 30 litres of extra load space because an electric motor takes less space than a combustion engine.
Volvo Cars will reveal more details about the fully electric XC40 in the coming weeks, before it will be first shown to the public on October 16.