A new three-cylinder petrol engine is to be offered in Volvo’s XC40 compact SUV.

Volvo’s XC40 now has an expanded line-up including a three-cylinder petrol

Developed in-house using the same modular design as Volvo’s four-cylinder Drive-E engines, the new 1.5-litre three-cylinder is a first in the Swedish company’s 91-year history and has been deliberately designed for Twin Engine plug-in hybrid integration.

The engine will also be available without electrification, badged T3, and will comes with a six-speed manual transmission as standard or an optional eight-speed automatic transmission in 2019. Pricing for the T3 starts from £27,905 OTR.

Following the launch of the XC40, Volvo is adding its fleet-friendly D3 148bhp diesel and T4 187bhp petrol engines to the line-up, as well as increased trim level choices available now.

The new three-cylinder petrol forms a part of Volvo’s ambition to have one million electrified cars on the road by 2025, with the T5 designated PHEV version available from Q4 this year. In addition, an electric model is expected to be built in China, although its specification is yet to be revealed.