Volvo is launching its first fully electric vehicle, the XC40 SUV next month that will be one of the safest vehicles on the road.
Volvo’s safety engineers had to completely redesign and reinforce the frontal structure to deal with the absence of an engine, meet Volvo’s high safety requirements and help keep occupants as safe as in any other Volvo.
To help keep passengers safe and the battery intact in the event of a collision, Volvo also developed a new and unique safety structure for passengers and battery alike in the XC40. The battery is protected by a safety cage which consists of a frame of extruded aluminium and has been embedded in the middle of the car’s body structure, creating a built-in crumple zone around the battery.
The battery’s placement in the floor of the car also has the benefit of lowering the centre of gravity of the car, for better protection against roll-overs.
Volvo New Zealand’s general manager, Coby Duggan, says the inclusion of new technology in the fully electric XC40 will ensure it is one of their safest vehicles to date.
“Next-generation safety systems will be introduced for the first time in this new model as well as an innovative structure to protect the vehicle’s battery and those travelling in the vehicle in the event of a collision,” he says.
Meanwhile, the car’s body structure has not just been reinforced in the front, but also at the rear. Here, the electric powertrain has been integrated into the body structure to realise a better distribution of collision forces away from the cabin and reduce the strain on people inside the car.
In terms of active safety systems, the battery-powered XC40 also introduces new technology. It is the first Volvo model equipped with a new Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) sensor platform with software developed by Zenuity, the joint venture company owned by Volvo and Veoneer.
The new ADAS platform is a modern, scalable active safety system that consists of an array of radars, cameras and ultrasonic sensors. Because of its scalable nature, it can easily be developed further and lays the foundation for the future introduction of autonomous drive technology.
Volvo will reveal more details about the fully electric XC40 in the coming weeks, before it will be first shown to the public on October 16.
Duggan says New Zealand launch timing and pricing for the new model are yet to be confirmed.
