5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE... VOLVO C40
A handful of essential facts on Volvo’s brand spanking new all-electric coupe-SUV
1 IT’S LARGELY A COUPE-IFIED XC40
More specifically, it’s an XC40 P8 Recharge that’s had its roof chopped. In other news: this new C40 will be EV only. In fact, because Polestar is a separate brand now and there are still combustion XC40s, this will actually be the first Volvo designed to be electric only.
2 IT’LL GET TO 62MPH IN UNDER 5.0SECS
The C40 sits on the same CMA platform as the XC40 and Polestar 2. Uses the same powertrain too, with electric motors on both front and rear axles and a 78kWh lithium-ion battery in between. The result is 402bhp and 487lb ft of torque that get this near-2.2 tonne SUV to 62mph in 4.9 seconds. Top speed is limited to 112mph.
3 THE INTERIOR IS VEGAN FRIENDLY
In another first for Volvo, the C40’s interior features no leather whatsoever. It also gets the excellent Android-based infotainment system from the electric XC40 and Polestar that was jointly developed with Google, and it will only be available to buy online through the ‘Care by Volvo’ subscription programme. Interesting one.
4 IT WON’T BE CHEAP
Volvo hasn’t announced prices for the C40 Recharge just yet, but the equivalent dualmotor XC40 starts at £53,155. Ouch. Expect the coupe-ified C40 to be offered at a similar point. For that money you will get 260 miles of WLTP range, and a rapid charge to 80 per cent will take 40 minutes on a 150kW charger.
5 IT’S PART OF A WIDER VOLVO PLAN
Hot on the heels of Ford and Jaguar, Volvo has promised to go all-electric by 2030. The Swedes had previously announced a plan for half of sales to be full EVs by 2025, with the rest as hybrids, but this new statement puts a proper date on the end of internal combustion for Volvo.