Volvo introduces all-electric XC40 SUV with Android Automotive software

Volvo has announced its first all-electric car, the XC40 Recharge. The SUV has a range of 400 kilometers. The infotainment system is based on Android Automotive and integrated with the Volvo On Call platform.

The XC40 Recharge is the first of a series of electric cars that Volvo will release. The company promises to introduce an all-electric car every year for the next five years to meet its target of half of its sales being EVs by 2025, with the remainder being hybrid models.

With a fully charged 78kWh battery, the range of the XC40 would be more than 400 kilometers, measured by Volvo on the basis of wltp and epa driving cycles. Via fast charging, the battery could be charged from 10 percent to 80 percent in forty minutes, with direct current at 150 kW.

The SUV’s engine has a power of 408 hp and delivers 660 Nm of torque. The vehicle can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds. The vehicle is based on Volvo’s Compact Modular Architecture, a flexible vehicle platform that Volvo unveiled in 2015 and is working on together with the Chinese Geely.

The infotainment platform is based on Android Automotive. Unlike Android Auto, this is a standalone OS that automakers can customize as they see fit. Volvo is one of the first manufacturers to apply this. The system offers access to Google Maps, the Google Assistant and the Play Store, among other things, without having to connect a smartphone. In addition, access to vehicle data such as battery status is possible through the integration with Volvo’s On Call platform.

The XC40 will appear in the third quarter of next year for a starting price of 59,900 euros.