Volvo XC40 Recharge
Enters India’s electric bandwagon
Over the next half a decade, Volvo Cars will launch an electric car per annum, as it 50 per cent of worldwide sales by 2025 to be all electric with the rest being hybrids. Recharge will be the name for all future electric and plug-in hybrid Volvos. The Volvo XC40 Recharge, based on the multi-award-winning and best-selling XC40, is the first of a family of fully electric Volvos, and will make its way to India later this year, but we got a chance to take a closer look recently, and as usual, Volvo did not let us down.
The battery-powered XC40 proves that Volvo cars are often made better by
THE VOLVO XC40 RECHARGE, BASED ON THE MULTI-AWARDWINNING AND BEST-SELLING XC40, IS THE FIRST OF A FAMILY OF FULLY ELECTRIC VOLVOS, AND WILL MAKE ITS WAY TO INDIA LATER THIS YEAR
taking certain things away. At the same time, it retains all the features that made it one of Volvo Cars’ best-selling models in its conventional format, and embraces the elegant, Scandinavian design language that has defined Volvo with good looks, utility and functionality. A covered front grille creates a definite visual identity, made possible by the very fact that an electrical car needs less air flow for cooling purposes, and neatly packages the sensors for the new Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) sensor platform. Not only does Volvo offer eight exterior colours, including a brand new Sage Green metallic option, a contrasting black roof
VOLVO CARS INDIA PLANS TO LAUNCH THE XC40 RECHARGE IN OCTOBER WHILE PRE-BOOKINGS WILL OPEN IN JUNE THIS YEAR
comes as standard, two new 19-inch and 20-inch wheel options provide further personalization. Apart from this, the electric SUV remains largely similar to its conventional sibling. Inside, a brand new driver interface specifically designed for electric cars keeps drivers up to date on relevant information such as battery status, while the design package features sporty styling details such as carpets made from recycled materials. Based on Volvo’s Compact Modular Architecture (CMA), which was designed from the outset with electrification in mind, the battery pack is integrated into the bottom of the car without affecting interior space. This means functional storage space around the cabin remains its major attractions, and is smartly designed to provide more storage space in the doors and under the seats, such as a fold-out hook for small bags and a removable bin in the tunnel console. Unique to the electric version is a front load compartment or ‘frunk’ as the company likes to call it, located under the front hood, and provides around 30 litres of extra load space. The electric XC40 gets a 78kWh lithium-ion battery, powered by two 204bhp electric motors – one on each axle with permanent all-wheel drive system. With a combined output of 408bhp and 660Nm of torque, the XC40 Recharge is capable of accelerating from 0-100kmph in 4.9 seconds, with top speed limited to 180kmph. The battery can be charged via an AC charger or a DC fast-charger, with the latter said to take 40 minutes to juice it up to 80 per cent, and can carry on for about 418km on a single charge (WLTP), which bodes well for its real-world range. Volvo will launch the XC40 Recharge in India in October while pre-bookings will open in June this year. Being an electric, it will command a hefty premium over its petrol sibling and we expect it to carry a price tag between Rs 55 lakh to Rs 60 lakh (ex-showroom, India). Although, the XC40 Recharge has no rivals at the moment in India, it will join the EV bandwagon that includes Tata Nexon EV, MG ZS EV, Hyundai Kona Electric, Jaguar I-Pace as well as Mercedes-Benz EQC.