The Volvo XC40 may be Volvo’s smallest SUV, but it’s making big waves in the news with reports that the model is going to receive an infusion of new powertrains that will include the automaker’s first three-cylinder engine, a plug-in hybrid, and an all-electric setup. The all-electric XC40 will reportedly get a range of around 310 miles and will be the second zero-emissions Volvo to hit the market, preceded only by a hatchback model that the Swedish automaker is developing from the 40.2 Concept that it introduced last year.

Volvo’s pushing a lot of right buttons recently, and if it can really develop the all-electric XC40 to produce a range of 310 miles, it immediately vaults on top of the list of EVs with the longest range, edged out by the Tesla Model S, which claims to have a roof EV range of 337 miles with its top P100D version. At the very least, the XC40 would elevate itself from the Tesla Model X — it’s direct rival —and its claimed range of 295 miles.

That said, all this talk of range among EVs that haven’t hit the market yet can be attributed to nothing more than lip service. Until Volvo can prove that the XC40 does have this kind of range, it’s hard to fully invest in those claims. If we’re going to that, we might as well talk about all the other manufacturers that are promising to develop crossovers and SUVs with battery range that can go to the moon. Audi says that it has an SUV that has the same 310-mile range. Heck, BMW claims that it’s developing an SUV that will have a range of 435 miles!

Perhaps these automakers will be proven right when they release their all-electric SUVs. But until that time comes, it’s hard to take their claims with more than a grain of salt.

References

Volvo XC40

Read our full review on the 2018 Volvo XC40.

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