Volvo is working on an all-new version of its V40 to be built on the company’s new Compact Modular Architecture platform, which also underpins the new XC40 crossover, and the chassis will reportedly accommodate diesel, gasoline and electric versions of the hatchback.
The British website Auto Express reports that the Polestar 2 sedan will be the first electric car to be built on the CMA platform, due in the second half of 2019. When the V40 arrives after that, it’ll come with a choice of battery size and range, in plug-in hybrid and pure-electric versions.
“For each electric car, we will typically have at least two different battery sizes on offer,” Henrik Green, Volvo’s head of R&D, told the website. “The base variant will be more cost-efficient, but with a slightly limited range, and then there will be a bigger option with a higher price, but more range and more power.”
The V40 isn’t currently offered in the states, but Volvo has previously confirmed the car will come to the U.S. market. The premium hatchback was last refreshed for the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, shown in the photos above.
Auto Express reports that the engine lineup for the all-new V40 will include the four-cylinder D3 and D4 diesels and the three-cylinder T3 and four-cylinder T4 and T5 gasoline engines. It’ll also follow the XC40’s lead in offering PHEV and battery-electric versions, again with the choice of batteries.
As for styling, expect a more aggressive stance, thanks to the lower roofline than the XC40. “CMA is a good platform to build the SUV — the XC40 — but we can also build low-dynamic cars with it,” Green said.
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