Range anxiety is, perhaps, the number one issue facing those considering buying a fully electric car - but that anxiety could all but disappear in just a few years time.
Speaking during its 'Tech Moment' event, where Volvo looks forward to the next 10 years of development and innovation, the Swedish brand revealed that its next generation of electric car batteries will be able to offer a big improvement when it comes to range.
- Volvo XC60 Recharge review: plug-in hybrid is great for comfort and family
- Lexus UX 300e review: a good start, but this EV has room for improvement
- Mercedes EQA review: Merc's affordable EV gets almost everything right
The first generation of Volvo's battery platform features in the XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge, offering up roughly 260 miles (around 420km) of range from a single charge.
It's now moving to its second generation battery platform, which will debut in a brand new, fully electric flagship SUV later this year. However, the major range gain will come with the third generation platform, which Volvo expects to have ready by the middle of this decade - so around 2025.
Range for miles, power for you home
TechRadar posed the question regarding the potential range that the third generation battery system could offer drivers, and Volvo responded by suggesting that the expected distance was around 900km (roughly 560 miles).
It's not just the battery platform that will allow Volvo to offer this range figure, with advances in aerodynamics, design and technology all playing their part, too, to reduce drag and weight, and increase power efficiency.
Volvo's third generation electric vehicle battery platform will also support superfast, 350kW (800v) charging - gen 2 supports up to 200kW - allowing you to significantly recharge the battery in minutes.
The second and third generation platforms also provide support for bi-directional charging, which means you can use cars equipped with the platforms to charge other devices, and even power your house.
We are already seeing the range of electric cars increase. The new Tesla Model S Plaid has a quoted range of up to 390 miles, while later this year the Mercedes EQS will roll off production lines boasting a range of 770km (around 480 miles).
Price parity by 2025
Another hurdle that prospective electric vehicle (EV) owners face is cost - electric cars are currently more expensive than their combustion engine counterparts, and when you add in the range anxiety they can be a harder sell for some.
However, Volvo expects price parity of EVs to be achieved by 2025, where we'll likely see the cost of electric cars match their gasoline-guzzling siblings.
While we'll have to wait and see if Volvo can live up to these claims, the good news is these major advancements in fully electrified vehicles are now just a few years away.
