VOLVO Cars South Africa managing director Greg Maruszewski says that he’s energised and ready to take on the challenge of going all electric. It’s no secret that Volvo Cars is going electric and that by 2030 its entire line-up of vehicles will be either all-electric or hybrid.
“We see hybrids taking over in the early stages of this transition to electrified mobility, but eventually we believe that battery technology will improve so much in the next 10 years that consumers will want an electric car as their only car.
“Driving an electric car is a genuinely fantastic experience and we’re looking forward to putting as many electric cars on the road in South Africa as possible,” Maruszewski said.
XC40 leading the charge
The Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge will be the first all-electric Volvo sold in South Africa and it goes on sale next month. “As we announced previously, our electric cars will be sold online only, but customers can go into a dealership for a full walk-through of the vehicle and to seek any assistance they may need with making the transaction. We understand that this is a new process in South Africa and that it will have some challenges but we are confident the dealer network is ready to take on these developments,” Maruszewski said.
Volvo Cars had planned to announce the pricing of the XC40 Recharge at the event we attended; however, at the last minute the pricing announcement was withheld. “At this stage, we are not going to publish the pricing as we are yet to confirm the actual figure the vehicle will be listed for,” he added.
Off the record, Maruszewski did share the proposed list price of the XC40 Recharge that goes on sale in South Africa next month, and it’s surprisingly competitive considering the lack of government incentives around EVs sold in SA. Looking at some of the pricing of other EV models on sale now, the XC40 Recharge won’t come as the cheapest way into a family-sized electric car, but it will present good value in a market that’s about to explode with new arrivals from Volkswagen (vehicles such as the ID.3 and ID4).
However, Maruszewski did say that all customers who buy an all-electric XC40 P8 Recharge will have access to a petrol-powered XC40 for two weeks each year for the first three years of ownership. “We are satisfied with the range that the electric XC40 provides and we know our customers will have more than enough energy for their daily commutes but we do understand that customers might sometimes want to take a longer road trip. We offer the use of a petrol-powered vehicle for these instances and you can safely store your XC40 Recharge at our dealerships while using the loan vehicle on your holiday,” he said.
XC40 T4 for the first time
Volvo Car South Africa has introduced an additional derivative to its XC40 range – the Volvo XC40 T4.
This is the first time the derivative – which has already proved popular overseas – will be sold locally. Its 2.0-litre in-line-four turbocharged petrol engine delivers maximum power of 140kW and maximum torque of 300Nm. It is matched to Volvo’s eight-speed Geartronic automatic gearbox.
The performance is brisk, with a zero to 100 km/h time of 8.4 seconds. Available in three specification levels – Momentum, Inscription and R-Design – pricing for the Volvo XC40 T4 starts at R654 580. The T4 slots in between two other petrol-engined XC40 models, namely the T3 (which boasts a 110kW engine) and the T5 (with its 185kW powerplant).
Class-leading features that you get in the XC40 T4 include Volvo Cars’ Pilot Assist system, City Safety, Run-off Road protection and mitigation, Cross Traffic Alert with brake support and a 360° camera that helps drivers manoeuvre their car into tight parking spaces.
Maruszewski said the arrival of the Volvo XC40 T4 is set to further cement the success of the range in this country: “The XC40 had a good 2020; it had an 8.40% share of its segment in 2019; that grew to 14.70% last year. In 2021, the XC40 nameplate performance is continuing to grow its sales locally.”
The XC40 P8 Recharge goes on sale from May 1 and we hope to be able to publish the official price of the vehicle next week once it’s been confirmed with Volvo headquarters.
IOL MOTORING