A NO-COMPROMISE EV
INNOVATIVE CROSSOVER HAS EVERYTHING YOU WOULD EXPECT, FROM POWER TO TOP-QUALITY SAFETY
The Volvo XC40 recharge P8 AWD should appeal to urban commuters who want flexibility without size. While the new EV is based on the company’s Compact modular Architecture it shares with its gasoline counterpart and has Thor’s hammers lighting up the face, Volvo’s first fully-electric crossover is easy to spot — the traditional grille is gone.
Key to the XC40 recharge P8 is the 78-kilowatt-hour battery that sits in the middle of the XC40’S floor. It delivers a range of 335 kilometres from a full charge, which takes eight hours using a 220-volt Level II charger. however, it will accept an 80 per cent charge from a DC fast charger in 40 minutes.
There are two electric motors, which give the recharge a healthy dose of power and all-wheel-drive capability. For the most part, the electric motors do equal amounts of the driving, but on the highway it becomes more of a rear-drive setup to help preserve the battery. The key here is the front motor is never allowed to shut down completely, so the system is always ready to react to a sudden change in traction.
The two electric motors combine to produce 402 horsepower and 486 poundfeet of torque. The result is a blistering turn of speed,
in spite of the 2,150-kilogram curb weight. Specifically, the recharge rockets to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds. To put that into perspective, the most powerful of the gas-powered XC40S, the T5, takes 6.4 seconds. The acceleration time only tells part of the story, as it is the instant-on peak torque that truly wows.
The flip side is the ability to drive the recharge using just the accelerator pedal to control speed and braking — the so-called one-pedal drive. During the test I managed to run for almost all of the drive route without ever touching the brake pedal.
This is the way electric cars are meant to be driven, and there is a side benefit — the lack of wear on the regular braking system.
The XC40 recharge also felt light on its P235/50r19 front and P255/45r19 rear tires. There was little in the way of body roll and it resisted the urge to delve into understeer until serious liberties were taken. on the flip side, it handled a rough road without beating up the rider.
The steering feel is crisp and can be adjusted for weight. I preferred the normal setting, as it balances ease with precision.
The recharge’s cabin is
very much XC40, but with two key differences. First, the shifter not only selects the desired gear, but also brings the electrics to life when the lever is moved. Google’s Android operating system now anchors the infotainment system. It includes Google Assistant, Google maps and the Google Play Store.
The physical layout mirrors Volvo’s previous system, with various tiles giving easy access to the main functions — and it has a home button. Swiping up from the bottom opens up the climate control and touching the settings icon opens up that feature. It is easily mastered.
The difference is that the voice recognition system is way smarter than most. Simply say “okay Google, where is the nearest charge point” and the system generates a list, the driver makes a choice and the directions begin. It also keeps the driver up to speed on the available driving range by estimating what will be left in the battery at the end of a route plugged into the map.
In a corny move, it will also tell a joke if the driver needs perking up. on a more serious note, there’ll be no more trips to the dealer to update the software, as it is now all done over the air (OTA). The digital dash is smart and configurable.
As for utility, there’s really no compromise. With the seats up, the XC40 recharge is rated at 452 litres, and 1,328 L with the rear seats folded. Both numbers are within 10 L of the gas-powered models. The bonus is the lack of a gas engine puts another storage space for the charger cable and the like under the hood.
Safety and driver-assistance features are a Volvo forte. The recharge includes all the key features plus Volvo’s City Safety technology and Pilot Assist system. Pilot Assist can now bring the vehicle to a stop in a safe place if the system detects the driver is in trouble.
The Volvo XC40 recharge P8 is arriving at dealers now with a starting price of $64,950.