Volvo Electric Cars – like the XC40 EV and V40 EV – to offer choice of battery size

Volvo are planning to offer their electric cars with a choice of at least two battery packs offering different power and range options when Volvo EVs arrive in 2019.

It’s hardly a secret that Volvo are heading down the electrification route with all their cars, promising all Volvos will have electrical assistance by 2019.

But we also know that Volvo will build their first BEV in China for export, and, at least according to Volvo’s US boss, that the first electric Volvo will be on sale in 2019 and cost from around £35,000.

That rules out anything other than Volvo’s new 40 Series cars as the first BEV on cost alone, so it’s either going to be an electric XC40 or an electric version of the new V40 or S40.

What we also know is that Volvo has trademarked the names P5 through to P10, which we assumed denote different power and battery pack sizes for different electric models across the Volvo range.

That has now been confirmed by Volvo’s Head of R&D, Henrik Green, who told Auto Express that the upcoming electric versions of the XC40 and V40 will come with two different battery pack sizes.

Green told AE that every electric Volvo will have at least two battery pack options, with the entry-level offering a shorter range and less power, with bigger battery packs offering increased range and increased power. Just as Tesla does.

Of course, it’s not just pure BEVs coming for the 40 Series range, but also a 1.5 litre 3-cylinder petrol plug-in electric hybrid which, Volvo claim, will be the death knell for the diesel engine.

Volvo XC40 Photos