• Launch comes as part of Volvo’s overarching commitment to sustainability and its pledge to a zero-emission future by only selling electric vehicles by 2030

Dubai, UAE: Al-Futtaim’s Trading Enterprises, the official distributor of Volvo Cars in the UAE, has unveiled its first fully electric car to the Middle East, the XC40 BEV, a compact SUV designed for modern urban living. The launch comes as another milestone in Volvo’s journey to a zero-emission future and as part of its overarching commitment to sustainability by only selling electric vehicles by 2030.

Increasing the use of sustainable materials is just one way the XC40 Recharge helps reduce its environmental impact. For example, the interior carpeting is made entirely from recycled plastic. Over 200,000km, an XC40 Recharge twin has a lower carbon impact than a petrol-powered XC40 T5, irrespective of the charging electricity mix (global, EU or wind). The battery has a nominal capacity of 78 kWh. A fully charged battery gives drivers a projected range of up to 418km  in mixed driving before it needs a recharge.

The new car was revealed at the recently-launched Volvo Studio’, a first of its kind shopping experience in the region highlighting the automotive brand’s commitment to driving change in the industry. The Volvo Studio modernizes the car buying experience, providing customers with an enhanced shopping opportunity complete with tailored experiences, activations, and the highest quality of service, synonymous with the automotive powerhouse. 

Oscar Rivoli, Managing Director of Trading Enterprises said, “Al-Futtaim Automotive provides innovative mobility solutions and services that our customers want and deserve to keep the UAE moving towards building a more sustainable future of mobility. In line with Expo2020sustainability pillar and our electrification strategy, we are proud to be the first market in the GCC to launch the zero emission all-electric XC40 Recharge. The future of Volvo Cars is electric, and the launch of this model is the first in a dedication to a zero-emission future. We will continue to support and promote Volvo’s electrification strategy and its overarching commitment to sustainability by selling only electric vehicles by 2030.”
 
“Al-Futtaim’s inherent customer-centric approach drives us to continuously diverse our offering to satisfy the changing consumer demands. We’re seeing significant growth in demand for BEV technology and smaller compact SUVs as consumers are starting to adopt and embrace the new technology. Electrified cars remain highly desirable for individuals who appreciate top technology and want to integrate a more eco-conscious driving practice in their lifestyle. We believe that the demand for hybrid vehicles will continue to grow in the years to come as more and more people realize the benefits of hybrid mobility. This demand brings an opportunity for automotive manufacturers and dealerships to embrace the UAE’s vision and be a driver of change to support this vision,” he added.

Globally, Volvo is also witnessing increased sales of electrified cars. The share of cars with a fully electric or plug-in hybrid powertrain, the Recharge models, amounted to 25.5 per cent of all cars being sold globally for the first 10 months to October 31. For the month of October, the share of Recharge BEV cars accounted for 31.5 per cent of total sales, as the number of electrified vehicles continues to rise globally.

As part of Volvo’s pioneering shift in how and where the automotive industry is engaging customers and with the goal of transforming the traditional retail model, the XC40 BEV will be available to buy online. This is aligned to Al-Futtaim’s Automotive’ s omnichannel strategy to challenge the conventional car buying experience and accelerate online sales. 

Volvo Cars is the official partner of the Swedish Pavilion at Expo 2020. Volvo Studio is located in Dubai Festival Plaza, Jebel Ali, open daily from 10 am to 10 pm offering customers a world first experience when purchasing a car.

A subsidiary of the Al-Futtaim Automotive Group, Trading Enterprises was established in 1970s in Dubai and is the exclusive authorized distributor for Volvo in the UAE. It is empowered by a highly skilled and trained professional team to provide a complete car buying experience. Al-Futtaim Automotive is one of five divisions within the Al-Futtaim Group which provides quality products and services that enrich people’s lives and aspirations each and every day. For more information on Volvo Studio Dubai, visit https://www.volvocars.com/en-ae/studios/dubai 

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About Trading Enterprises – Volvo

Trading Enterprises, part of Al-Futtaim Automotive, is the exclusive distributor of Volvo cars in the UAE since 1985. The ISO9001:2008 company represents the world-renowned Volvo cars brand well known for its intuitive innovations, safety, environmental performance and Scandinavian design through its sales and after-sales network in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. 

Trading Enterprises – Volvo offers a complete range of premium mobility solutions in the premium segment that includes: Sedans (S60 and S90), - and SUV vehicles (XC40, XC60 and XC90). Trading Enterprises is regarded as pioneers in the region by Volvo when it comes to adopting Volvo best practices and has introduced the region’s first Volvo Retail Experience Showroom and Volvo Personal Service – which offers a human-centric approach to sales and service. 

For more information on Trading Enterprises – Volvo, please call 800 8823 or visit: https://www.volvocars.com/en-ae 

About Al-Futtaim Automotive

Al-Futtaim Automotive, one of the main five operating divisions within the UAE-based Al-Futtaim Group of companies, is a conglomerate of motoring-related businesses, franchising some of the world’s most-recognised automotive brands and services.

Operating in 10 countries across the Middle East, Asia and Africa and empowered by around 9,000 associates, the UAE-headquartered Group’s services span across distribution of new and used vehicles, manufacturing, leasing, and aftersales.

Ranging from passenger cars to SUVs, commercial vehicles, industrial and construction equipment as well as motorbikes and quads, Al-Futtaim Automotive Group offers an integrative customer-centric experience for motorists, fleet operators and contractors alike, and strives to become the leader in tailor-made mobility solutions

About Al-Futtaim

Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al-Futtaim today is one of the most diversified and progressive, privately held regional businesses headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
 
Structured into five operating divisions; automotive, financial services, real estate, retail, and health; employing more than 33,000 employees across more than 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, we partner with over 200 of the world's most admired and innovative brands. 

Al-Futtaim’s entrepreneurship and relentless customer focus enables the organisation to continue to grow and expand; responding to the changing needs of our customers within the societies in which we operate.

By upholding our values of respect, excellence, collaboration, integrity; Al-Futtaim continues to enrich the lives and aspirations of our customers each and every day. For more information visit: www.alfuttaim.com 

For more information, please contact: 
Shady Fekry
Media and Influencer Relations Manager | Impact Porter Novelli 
Tel: +971 4 330 4030 E: 423 | Mobile: +971 50 595 3102 | Email: s.fekry@ipn.ae  

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