Fully Electric Version Of Volvo XC90 SUV In The Works

A fully electric version of Volvo’s soon-to-be-released SUV — the XC90 — is already in the works, according to recent reports.

While the conventional version of the 2014 XC90 is still yet to make it to market, there’s already a whole range of other versions in the pipeline — including a plug-in hybrid version that will launch sometime relatively soon after the regular version, and a fully electric version that will likely hit the market sometime in 2016 or 2017.

The timeframe on those versions depends, to a fair degree, on what happens with Audi’s as-yet-unnamed electric SUV — as well as the probably delayed Tesla Model X. Those two electric SUVs would represent the core of the electric XC90′s competition.

With regard to the Audi electric SUV (the Q8?), it’s been rumored that it will possess a range of up to 370 miles per charge — a substantial range that would put it around 60 miles above the Model S. In order to compete, the Volvo XC90 electric SUV would probably need to possess quite a substantial range itself.

InsideEVs provides more:

Volvo hinted to Autocar that an electric XC90 is coming. Quoting Autocar: “…the XC90 will also come in hybrid form with an electric motor powering the rear wheels. Further down the line, a version of the XC90 equipped with an energy-harvesting flywheel on the rear axle is likely, while a pure electric version of the large SUV will have its batteries packaged in the center tunnel and under the rear floor so interior space won’t be compromised.”

When the conventional version of the XC90 launches (within the next year), it’s likely that more information on the EV and PHEV versions of the model will be available. We’ll keep you posted.

In related news, the Volvo S60 Plug-In Hybrid recently made its Beijing debut, and the Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid continues to sell quite well in European markets where it’s available.

Some of you are probably aware of the V60 PHEV, but that hybrid runs on diesel (as is relatively common in much of Europe), whereas the new Volvo S60 is a gasoline-hybrid. Of course, we don’t yet have many details on the potential XC90 PHEV.

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Fully Electric Version Of Volvo XC90 SUV In The Works was originally published on CleanTechnica.

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Source: http://cleantechnica.com/2014/05/14/fully-electric-version-volvo-xc90-suv-works/