By Staff Reporter

As part of Volvo’s aim for fully electric cars to make up 50 per cent of the automaker’s total sales by the middle of the next decade, the XC40 looks like it is going to lead the way.

This comes after Volvo representatives confirmed that the fully electric small crossover will be revealed before the end of the year. Volvo plans to have its first EV on sale by 2020 that will rival the Tesla Model 3 and Polestar 2.

On other news, the Volvo XC40 will be electrified later this year. It will feature a T5 Twin Engine version combining a 1.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor, a lithium-ion 9.7-kWh battery, and seven-speed automatic transmission.

The XC40 will be able to cover 54 km of driving range on pure electricity alone.

Power of the three-cylinder is rated at 134 kW of power and works together with an electric motor that develops 61 kW which result in a combined output power of 195 kW and 425 Nm of torque.

Volvo says the XC40 will dash from 0-100 km/h in 7.3 seconds before hitting a top speed at 205 km/h.