Volvo has finally pulled the covers off the new XC40
Recharge, the brand’s first fully electric model, featuring a combined output
of 402 HP and a driving range of over 400 km. Volvo will use the Recharge
nameplate for each one of its chargeable models, meaning both fully electric
and plug-in hybrids.
Volvo is planning to launch five new electric
vehicles in the next five years, and the new XC40 Recharge is the first of the
batch. The Swedish car maker wants electric vehicles to account for 50 percent
of its global sales by 2025, with the remaining 50 percent to be hybrid cars.
The new Volvo XC40 Recharge is powered by two
electric motors, one per axle, that offer a combined 402 HP. If that
sounds familiar, it’s because that’s the same powertrain with the also upcoming
Polestar 2.
Volvo promises a driving range of over 400 km on the WLTP cycle and the ability to charge up to 80 percent in 40
minutes via 150kW fast-charging. The company also estimates a 200-mile driving
range rating per the EPA. The battery pack is a 78 kWh lithium-ion unit.
Another highlight of the battery electric Volvo XC40
Recharge is the brand new infotainment system that runs on Google’s Android OS.
The new infotainment is fully integrated with Volvo’s On Call digital connected
services as well.
Compared to the regular ICE-powered XC40, the XC40
Recharge has a lower ground clearance due to the floor-mounted battery pack.
Luggage space in the trunk is also slightly reduced but the adoption of a fully
electric powertrain enabled Volvo to add another storage area under the bonnet,
or frunk.
Pricing for the new Volvo XC40 Recharge is expected
to be close to that of the Polestar 2, which is priced from € 58,800 (US$ 64,900)
in Germany. The fully electric Volvo is expected to launch in the European
market late next year, with the US to follow. Customers bying a new Volvo
Recharge model from early 2020 will also get a year of free electricity via a
refund for the average electricity cost during that period.
