Electric cars are the future

I’ve been interested for a few years in getting a Volvo as my next car. I want to buy a new car in the next couple of years, but I’m leaning toward electric, which Volvo doesn’t have.

Is there any chance Volvo will have an electric vehicle any time soon?

Yes.

Volvo announced in October that it would debut its first electric vehicle — one of several EVs it will launch in the coming years — by the end of 2020.

All of the EVs will appear under the label “Recharge.” The first will be the XC40 Recharge, an electric version of the stylish XC40.

The details Volvo has provided so far: The XC40 Recharge will be able to go more than 200 miles between charges, and it will sell for less than $50,000 (the non EV version of the XC40 sells now for about $40,000 or less depending on which version is chosen.

The company says half of its lineup will be electric by 2025, and it will launch one EV a year to reach that goal.

A reader speaks out: A wise reader had plenty to say about my recent answer to a couple who were worried that their grandson might not be responsible enough to check and replace oil in their loaned oil-chugging car and wondered what would happen if he allowed the fuel to run dry entirely. Here’s what the reader wrote:

“I was disappointed in your response to the folks with the 16-year-old kid. The description of the available disasters from running on too low oil could have been shorter, making room for apparently needed advice.

They should take the (kid) out to the vehicle and have him show that he knows how to open the hood and accurately check the oil. Then they instruct him to check the oil every Monday (or any day of the week they like) regardless of how often or far the vehicle was driven. Along with the ignition keys, they should provide containers of the correct oil. Instead of telling them of the possible disasters, it would have been better to say they don’t want to know what the disasters could be and then tell them what to tell their son.”

Excellent point, sir.