Volvo has launched its first test drive hub dedicated to electric vehicles – at the Eden Project in Cornwall.
The Swedish firm has committed to an electric-only by 2030, and currently offers two EVs in the UK: the XC40 Recharge SUV and the closely related new C40 Recharge. Both electric cars will be available to test at the site.
The drives will take place on the roads around the attraction, which is located near St Austell. Volvo says that the hub will also serve to educate potential customers by addressing some of the challenges and concerns consumers have about electric cars, particularly in remote areas.
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Test drives at the Eden Project can be pre-booked via the Volvo website, although a number of walk-in slots will be available. The site will purely be a test hub: the C40 Recharge, the first Volvo to only be offered in battery electric form, is only being sold online.
The drive is part of a long-term partnership between Volvo and the Eden Project, which was opened in 2001 and features a series of biomes and environments showing a variety of environments and plant species. Located near St Austell, it is one of the UK’s top tourist attractions, with more than a million visitors each year.
The XC40 Recharge was Volvo’s first electric model, and is a BEV version of the popular XC40 crossover that is also offered with a plug-in hybrid powertrain. The C40 Recharge is essentially a coupe-SUV version of the XC40, but will purely be offered with an electric powertrain.
Volvo will launch its second bespoke electric car, a largely SUV similar in size to the current XC90, later this year.
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