THE CAR CHARGED WITH VOLVO’S FUTURE

New C40 Recharge is the first Volvo to be launched only as a BEV

Volvo has revealed its firstever model to be launched exclusively as a Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV): the C40 Recharge.

The car itself is not as momentous as it might seem. The C40, which will be available in New Zealand in the second half of 2022, is essentially a coupe version of the XC40 compact-suv.

What’s most significant about the C40 is what it represents. At the same time as it revealed the new model, Volvo announced it would be a Bev-only brand by 2030. It will sell only fully electric cars and phase out any model with an internal combustion engine, including hybrids.

“To remain successful, we need profitable growth. So instead of investing in a shrinking business, we choose to invest in the future — electric and online,” says Hakan Samuelsson, Volvo Cars chief executive.

The C40 has twin electric motors, one on the front and one on the rear axle, powered by a 78kwh battery that can be fastcharged to 80 per cent in about 40 minutes. It offers range of around 420km, which is expected to improve over time with overthe-air software updates.

The C40 features an infotainment system jointly developed with Google and based on the Android operating system. It provides consumers with apps and services built-in, such as Google Maps, Google Assistant and the Google Play store. Meanwhile, Volvo NZ has just launched a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) version of the current XC40 ($84,990) and a full BEV will follow — the latter a very close relative of the new C40.

The XC40 Recharge PHEV combines a 60kw/160nm electric motor and 10.7kwh battery with a 1.5-litre turbocharged threecylinder 132kw/265nm engine.