With Volvo C40 Recharge, the internationally revered Swedish brand has finally entered the full-electric vehicle segment. Based on the XC40 platform, the C40 is as safe and practical as the former car that is powered by the conventional I.C. Engine. Following similar design lines as its parent, the C40 Recharge has a lot more to offer in the design department. The stylish coupe-like roofline and a new tail light design give the electric car a sportier look.
Being a purely electric vehicle, the new Volvo C40 Recharge will compete with Tesla Model 3, Mercedes EQA to Audi's upcoming Q4 e-Tron, and other premium EVs, as Volvo pushes the sales of its new EV in the forthcoming years. The car will be available to buy exclusively on Volvo’s online car-buying platform.
What's New?
Despite sharing the same interior design and mechanical bits with the XC40 recharge, the C40 recharge offers a whole new look and feel. To date, Volvo has neither released the official pricing of the C40 Recharge nor has shared the details about EV's optional and standard features. But it is estimated the new Volvo C40 Recharge will be priced similar to the XC40 Recharge.
Performance, Engine and Transmission
All Volvo C40 Recharge variants will come with two Brushless DC Motor (BLDC) Electric Motors with one mounted in the rear and the other in the front. Combinedly, both motors can deliver up to 420hp. The C40 Recharge, looking like a coupé SUV, will drive like one, too, with the all-wheel-drive powertrain as a standard feature in the package. Volvo has claimed the powertrain in the C40 Recharge would be enough to propel the car from 0 to 60mph in just 4.7 seconds. Moreover, the same powertrain can also be found in Volvo’s XC40 Recharge and the Polestar 2 electric car.
Charging, Battery Life, and Range
Delivering around 210 miles of range in one charge, under the floor of the Volvo C40 Recharge lies a 75kWh battery pack. All the variants of the C40 will support 150kW DC fast charging, which can charge the battery to 80% in just about 40 minutes of time. For those interested in charging the C40 Recharge at home, they can use a 110V or 220V outlet to charge the EV, but charging time would be more.
Economy
Though there is no confirmation on the fuel economy of the C40 Recharge, but similar to XC40 Recharge, the new EV from Volvo should give around 72 MPGe on the highway and 85 MPGe in the city.
Comfort and Cargo
Similar to the XC40, the cabin of the C40 Recharge offers a high seating position, large panoramic sunroof, with plenty of storage options available onboard. The C40 Recharge will be Volvo’s first vehicle without any leather upholstery that would neither be available as standard nor optional. The C40 Recharge also features backlit trim panels on the dash along with doors that reveal an illuminated topography map. The sloping rear roof slightly reduces the headroom of rear passengers by almost 62mm. But, it doesn't affect the boot space that offers ample storage of 413 liters in the rear and 31 liters under the bonnet.
Safety Features
As of yet, Volvo has not released the list of driver-assistance features on the C40 Recharge, but similar to other Volvos. The C40 will get a host of advanced features as it reaches the market.
Standard Key Features Include-
- Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with cyclist and pedestrian detection
- Lane-departure warning with lane assist
- Adaptive cruise control
- Semi-autonomous driving mode
Warranty and Maintenance
Volvo is known to offer a well-rounded warranty package on its modern cars, including a free scheduled maintenance plan for 36,000 miles or three years. The new C40 Recharge would be a part of ‘Care by Volvo subscription service’, that includes-
- Insurance
- Home charging station
- Extended maintenance plan
Volvo’s Limited and Powertrain warranty will cover 50,000 miles or 4 years, and Battery components will be covered for 100,000 miles or 8 years.
