Volvo Cars South Africa introduces range of electrified cars
Volvo is set to be fully electric by 2030. To this end, they recently launched their new electric line-up at an exclusive event at the Leonardo in Sandton. The event showcased the latest South African range which now consists of predominantly all-electric, plug-in hybrid and mild-hybrid options.
Greg Maruszewski, Managing Director at Volvo Car South Africa, said the move is in line with the Gothenburg-based company’s global strategy. It affords South African motorists the opportunity to experience the various benefits of the three stages of vehicle electrification.
“Our mild-hybrid vehicles boast reduced tailpipe emissions, improved fuel economy and stronger on-road performance, making them ideal stepping stones to our plug-in hybrids – which add the major advantage of a pure-electric driving mode – and ultimately our all-electric offering. In short, our completely renewed line-up covers all of the electrification bases,” said Maruszewski.
Volvo’s first fully electric car
The models in the line-up include the Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge, XC60 T8 Recharge and the XC90 T8 Recharge plug-in hybrids. The B5 and B6 badges identify the mild-hybrid variants. They also appear on the remainder of the XC60 and XC90 line-ups. The vehicles on hand to sample gave us the chance to experience the clever Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS). Volvo has also offered customers something absolutely incredible. Included in the R1.2 million price tag, the customer has access to a petrol car for two weeks per annum for three years. This ensures that Volvo owners can still reach far-flung destinations out of reach of charging points. This makes Volvo one of the first manufacturers to apply their minds to practical mobility. Volvo also prides itself in sustainability, by sourcing local manufacturers wherever possible. They have set out a 30-year plan to be an earth-neutral manufacturer.
In addition, Maruszweski states that Volvo Cars South Africa’s decision to move primarily to hybrid vehicles is based on the belief that this type of powertrain currently represents the ideal solution for the majority of the company’s local customers.
With the S90 and V90 Cross Country line-ups now also featuring exclusively mild-hybrid powertrains, the only purely petrol-powered options that remain in Volvo’s local range are the T-badged derivatives in the XC40 lineup.
Safety and Connectivity
Maruszewski further pointed out both the world-class safety technology intrinsic to Volvo’s vehicles as well as the class-leading connectivity available in various models. The latter includes the company’s latest Android-powered infotainment system, which ships complete with built-in Google apps and services.
In global terms, Volvo’s electrified line-up continues its rapid growth. The Recharge models made up 34% of the company’s global sales volume in the fourth quarter of 2021. Plug-in hybrids accounted for 28%.
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