It’s no longer a question of if, but when for the automotive industry in the switch to electric power. Volvo overnight unveiled a brand new electric car – the C40, alongside a commitment to become a fully electric car company by 2030.
In 2020 a full EV version of the XC40 was announced, following their successful Plug-In Hybrid version, and while not available here in Australia yet, one can only assume that is close.
Following hot on its heals will be the all new C40 pure electric car with a range of 420km, and a 40 min recharge time (on 150KW DC) this little SUV will be a ripper
The C40 is a bold statement kicking off the company’s “concrete” climate plan which “seeks to consistently reduce the life cycle carbon footprint per car” and is part of their “commitment to becoming a leader in the fast-growing electric car market” with plans to be a fully electric car company by 2030.
Strangely, at the same time, all EV sales will shift online, knocking out the traditional dealership model at the same time as the gas guzzling car market.
“To remain successful, we need profitable growth. So instead of investing in a shrinking business, we choose to invest in the future – electric and online,” said Håkan Samuelsson, chief executive. “We are fully focused on becoming a leader in the fast-growing premium electric segment.”
Volvo’s road-map to Electric is strong, hoping for 50 percent of global sales to be full EVs by 2025, with the rest being Hybrids, while by 2030 they say every car they sell “should be fully electric”.
Back to the new C40, and while there is no word on availability or pricing for Australia, we do know it has a 78kWh battery and is powered by twin electric motors one front, one back.
Infotainment is powered by Android, with the system jointly developed by Google, offering built-in Google Maps, Google Assistant and the Google Play Store – if you think about that for a moment, along with Ford’s recent infotainment announcement, you start to see why Apple has a “Car” division of its business – perhaps less about the physical car, more about the software that we the driver and passengers interface with?
The Volvo C40 Electric Car will be the first car only available to buy online, narrowing the complexity of a car model lineup with pre-selected variants in a much simpler offering.
While Tesla is the leader in Electric Cars, you have to also tip your hat to the California Auto-maker for reshaping the way cars are sold too – this simplified offering has been a cornerstone of their business since the start.
More news on the Volvo C40 for Australia as and when we get it.
