Volvo starts production of electric XC40 Recharge P8

Production has started on the XC40 Recharge Pure Electric P8, which is the first of several fully electric Volvos to come.

While order books remain open, every car scheduled to be built this calendar year has already been sold. The first cars are scheduled to be delivered to customers in Europe later this month.

The all-wheel-drive XC40 Recharge P8 offers a projected range of more than 249 miles (400km) (WLTP, Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure) on a single charge and output of 408hp. The battery can charge to 80 per cent of its capacity in approximately 40 minutes on a fast-charger system.

The new, Android-powered infotainment system has  embedded Google technology and services, such as the Google Assistant, Google Maps and the Google Play Store. The XC40 Recharge P8 also receives larger software and operating system updates over the air.

The battery pack is protected by a safety cage embedded in the middle of the car’s body structure. Its placement in the floor of the car also lowers the car’s centre of gravity, for better protection against roll-overs.