The time has come for Volvo to compete in the trendy world of electric cars by offering cheap price and better range. The renowned car maker has announced during the recent Geneva Motor Show that its first electric vehicle will have a price tag of less than $40,000 when it debuts in 2019. It will also have a range of 250 miles, a little better than Tesla's upcoming Model 3, and Chevy's Bolt.
The move would put Volvo in the same playing field with other big car maker names that has already established reputation. Tesla’s forthcoming Model 3, intended to be the company’s most affordable electric vehicle, goes on sale for $35,000 later this year. The Chevy Bolt, the first electric vehicle from General Motors, also sells for about the same price with a 238-mile range.
According to Lex Kerssemakers, CEO of Volvo Car USA, Volvo matching those electric car specs of range and price are what he sets as the prerequisite for the United States. He adds that these are what he needs to display If he wants to make a point in the United States. However, unlike the squat Bolt, which Chevy has been showing off for more than a year, and thesleekly designed Model 3 unveiled by Elon Musk last March , Volvo’s all-electric vehicle look is still unknown, the Quartz reports.
Kerssemakers said Volvo is yet to decide the design of their affordable electric car. They're still debating whether an update to an existing model, or a completely new design, will satisfy customers. However, according to the BGR, the Swedish automaker uses two body platforms for its vehicle development—one for its larger SUVs and sedans, and a smaller one for its crossovers and cars, which will allow it to develop the electric vehicle in a relatively crunched timeframe.
