Volvo will launch its new XC40 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) to the New Zealand market this month with expectations the first shipment will sell out within weeks.
Pricing starts at $84,900 plus on-road costs and customer deliveries are expected from the second half of the year.
Volvo NZ general manager Ben Montgomery says international demand for their crossover SUV model has surged, despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Two models will be on display at Volvo retailers for Kiwi customers to experience firsthand during the Recharge roadshow which started in Auckland on February 18.
“With Volvo’s ambitious commitment to becoming climate neutral by 2040 and putting one million EVs on the roads within the next four years, Kiwi consumers can expect to see a rapid increase in the access of premium electrified and hybrid models available here,” Montgomery says.
“Plug-in hybrids now make up almost a third (30%) of Volvo sales in Europe, making Volvo the leading plug-in premium brand when measured by the share of its total sales volume.
“The XC40 PHEV accounts for a significant part of this global growth and early local interest suggests this model will make up a solid proportion of our New Zealand EV/hybrid sales this year.”
The XC40 Recharge PHEV combines a 60kW/160Nm electric motor and 10.7kWh lithium-ion battery pack with a 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder 132kW/265Nm engine.
The Recharge’s lab-tested fuel economy is 2.2 litres per 100km compared to the petrol-only XC40s range between 7.7 and 8.0L/100km. However, fuel consumption drops to zero when the electric motor is used alone – with a 44km range.
Montgomery says the first shipment is expected to sell out quickly with limited stock of the new model available.
A Recharge roadshow at Volvo dealerships nationwide will showcase the new XC40 PHEV.
The roadshow is at Archibald & Shorter Greenlane on February 18 to 21, Archibald & Shorter North Shore February 27 and 28, Duncan & Ebbett in Tauranga March 13 and 14, Duncan & Ebbett in Hamilton March 20 and 21, Bayswater European in Napier April 10 and 11, Armstrong’s Wellington April 17 and 18, Archibald’s Christchurch April 24 and 26, and Armstrong’s Dunedin May 8 and 9.
The hybrid XC40 SUV is set to help Volvo reduce its carbon footprint per car by 40% by 2025. Within this time frame, the Swedish carmaker also expects 50% of its global sales to consist of fully electric cars, with the rest hybrids.
