Volvo begins production of its first electric vehicle
Volvo has announced that production of the XC40 Recharge P8, the firm’s first electric vehicle, has begun at its factory in Ghent, Belgium.
The Swedish car maker says it has sold out of this year’s allocation of cars and is now taking orders for deliveries in 2021.
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The XC40 Recharge is built on the same Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) as the regular petrol-powered models, adapted for an electric powertrain. It has a claimed range of 249 miles (400 kilometres) and makes 403bhp.
Inside, it has an Android-powered infotainment system with embedded Google technology such as Google Assistant, and it can receive updates over the air too.
Javier Varela, head of global industrial operations and quality at Volvo, said: “Today is a momentous occasion for Volvo Cars and for all employees here in Ghent.
“As we continue to electrify our line-up, the Ghent plant is a real trailblazer for our global manufacturing network.”
Volvo is putting its weight behind electrification, and this week announced a €552m ‘green bond’ to fund electric vehicle development.
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