Dede Sophie

Volvo Cars have announced upgrades to their XC40 and related C40 Recharge models to provide more range, improved powertrains, and a new RWD version, writes Brian Byrne. The brand’s two key electric cars also gain faster charging times at suitable charge points. Both cars are now available to order in Ireland with prices starting at €61,715. The cars now come with 82kWh batteries, which have extended range by up to 62km. The arrival of a RWD version is the first time in 25 years that Volvo have produced such a configuration.  The AWD vehicles benefit from two new electric motors, the more powerful of which has been developed by Volvo in-house. 

This is the promised plug-in hybrid version of Mazda’s electric car, the MX-30 E-Skyactiv R-EV, writes Brian Byrne. A mouthful of a name, the car is revealed at the Brussels Motor Show today and features a rated 85km electric range, with a new rotary engine extended range petrol engine to enable longer journeys. The electric motor will power the car all the time, the rotary engine kicking in only to recharge the battery or to give additional power during sudden acceleration. The petrol tank for the engine is 50 litres, providing a potential combined range competitive to a standard petrol car. The Mazda rotary engine is based on the concept developed by German engineer Felix Wankel in the 1950s. The Japanese company produced it for a range of RX sports cars until 2012, after which it was only used in a racing championship up to 2017. A prototype rotary engine used as an EV range extender was shown in a Mazda2 in 2013.