Volvo Cars aims to become a fully electric car maker by 2030 and plans to roll out a whole new family of pure electric cars in coming years, one of the industry’s most ambitious electrification plans. This is part of its ambition to become a climate neutral company by 2040, as it works to consistently cut carbon emissions across its business.
All of Volvo Cars’ European plants run on 100 per cent clean electricity, while its Torslanda and Skövde plants in Sweden are fully climate neutral. Elsewhere in the world, its Chengdu and Luqiao sites in China are also powered by climate-neutral electricity.
Range Assistant App
With this latest over-the-air update, drivers of fully electric Volvo cars can also expect increased range thanks to improvements in smart battery management and regeneration performance, as well as a smarter timer to pre-condition the batteries.
The Range Assistant app, a perfect example of Volvo Cars’ strategy of bringing software development increasingly in-house, helps drivers keep track of the available range of their pure electric Volvo car and optimize it through smart energy management and advice on driving style from an efficiency perspective.
With the app, embedded seamlessly in the Android-powered infotainment system, drivers of fully electric Volvo cars get a clear and accurate indication of the estimated remaining driving range and real-time energy consumption. It also helps them understand the key factors that affect their driving range.
A range optimizer functionality in the app can adjust the climate system automatically in order to improve driving range, a feature that will be especially helpful on longer trips as it reduces the need for charging stops.
Volvo Cars plans to continue the development of the app on the path to full release and introduce additional features, such as coaching of drivers with smart and easy-to-follow recommendations on how to adjust driving style and speed in order to maximize range.
The app will be made available via the latest over-the-air software update to XC40 Recharge drivers and will be installed from production start on the C40 Recharge.
“Through in-house development of software and over-the-air updates, we can constantly improve our cars and make sure that your electric Volvo stays fresh,” said Sanela Ibrovic, head of connected experience at Volvo Cars. “The Range Assistant app is a great example of how quick development and deployment of new features can improve the Volvo customer experience every day.”
Volvo Cars has been offering over-the-air updates since the beginning of this year and they will soon become available in more Volvo models and markets, making the company an industry leader in the field. They are easy and convenient for customers, allowing them to keep their cars up-to-date without having to visit a workshop.
Other features and updates in the latest software release include further improvements on the safety systems, new information about cold climate impact on battery range and various bug fixes.
Drivers will also see software version information in their centre display and will be notified via the Volvo Cars app of a planned software update and can follow the progress of the downloading and installation process through app notifications.
All applicable models are expected to be updated by the end of October.
Notes to readers
Specific compatibility is dependent on car model, year and factory-installed equipment.
Android is a trademark of Google LLC.
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Please Note: The details of this article were accurate at the time it was written. Manufacturers may change the details of any vehicle’s specifications, at any time, without notice.
