Swedish auto manufacturer Volvo has become a household name over the years—a name synonymous with comfort, reliability, performance, and safety. It recently announced the upcoming release of a new family of compact cars, which includes a new SUV and sedan. Volvo calls the new compacts the 40 series, and provided a look into several of the models’ specs well before they start going on sale in North America in 2018.
If you’re hoping to start a career as an auto mechanic, read on to take a look at a few interesting facts about the new 40 series Volvos, and what you can expect from them.
1. The 40 Series is Based on a Platform Students in Auto Mechanic School Have Never Seen Before
Volvo’s engineers have created a new vehicle platform called Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) that’s smaller and more cost-efficient than the current SPA (Scalable Product Architecture) that’s currently used on the XC90, S90, and V90 models.
CMA is scalable, which means it’ll be able to accommodate vehicles with different lengths, powertrains, and wheelbases. The way it works is that the front and rear ends of the CMA platform will be standardized, and the floor pan in the middle can be adjusted to different sizes to build different vehicles, with room for a battery as needed. That’s good news because if you ever work on newer Volvos after auto mechanic school, you’ll quickly get familiar with the frame regardless of the model that rolls into the garage.
2. Students in Auto Mechanic School Can Expect Electrification
Volvo announced that the CMA platform was definitely designed with hybrid and full-electric vehicle applications in mind. The company announced that it’ll offer a 9.7-kWh lithium-ion battery, and a battery-electric powertrain with a range of at least 346 km. The builds are based on affordability as well as customer demand. The numbers also happen to surpass the projected stats of the Tesla model 3 and Chevrolet Bolt.
3. Auto Mechanic School Students will see the 40 Series in a Few Different Shapes
So far, Volvo has official plans to build the XC40, a small crossover, but auto experts are also expecting a V40 wagon and sedan-hatchback to be included in the new compact line-up. Volvo is excited about using the new platform to create a compact sedan, since the market is already crowded with larger models. There’s also rumors of a convertible model, which is something to be on the lookout for by the time you start your auto mechanic career.
4. Consumers will be Able to use their Phones as Keys
Volvo also announced that it plans to update its On Call mobile app to allow owners to get into and start their cars through Bluetooth-enabled smartphones. This will also allow owners to send their ‘keys’ to friends and relatives, and could enable rental companies to give drivers driving access with passwords and expiration dates. Let’s just hope that if you work on a 40 series during your mechanic career, you won’t have to ask customers for their lock screen codes!
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