Volvo will have pure-electric car on sale by 2019
Swedish Tesla rivals to come with 100kWh battery and be based on dedicated all-new platformVolvo will have its first pure-electric Tesla rival on sale by 2019, based on an all-new purpose-built platform that can support battery packs up to 100kWh, reports the Green car Congress blog.
According to Volvo's pure-electric powertrain boss, Mats Anderson, the Swedish car-maker has developed a Modular Electrification Platform (MEP) to base an entire new line-up of pure-electric vehicles.
Speaking to delegates at a Californian hybrid and pure-electric vehicle conference, Anderson claimed the MEP would not only be able to support vehicles with anything from 100-450kW of power but it would package battery cells of up to 100kWh in size.
That means Volvo’s first mass-produced pure-electric vehicles will have a range of up to 500km.
Anderson refused to confirm what shape Volvo's first zero-emission vehicle will take but it's almost certain to be a production version of the Concept 40.1 SUV.
Later on, a sedan based on the 40.2 will follow.
During his speech, the electric powertrain boss pledged that Volvo would have made more than one million 'electrified' vehicles by 2025.
As well as the big announcement that Volvo was pushing ahead with its plans to offer a full pure-electric line up, Anderson also confirmed that Volvo has developed a new plug-in hybrid powertrain for front-wheel drive applications.
The new "Twin Engine" hybrid is claimed to combine a small three-cylinder petrol with a 9.7kWh lithium-ion battery and an all-new seven-speed dual-clutch auto. An additional 55kW motor provides for a 50km pure-electric range.
The power produced was claimed to be equivalent to a far larger four- and six-cylinder engine.
As well as a new full hybrid engine, Volvo is also working on a new 48-volt mild hybrid system for both petrol and diesels.
Initially, the system will be combined with a 10kW motor that will be replaced by a more powerful 15kW motor later on. A small 0.25kWh 48V lithium-ion battery will be used to store and supply energy to boost efficiency.
The move to 48V mild hybrid powertrain will help Volvo phase out diesels, if needed to, said Anderson.
The senior Volvo exec said the car-maker was "committed [to electrification]. There is no way back".
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