VOLVO XC40 RECHARGE FOR SA
The Volvo XC40 Recharge, the first all-electric car from the Swedish luxury brand, will be launched in South Africa in the second half of 2021.
The XC40 Recharge delivers brisk performance by way of twin electric motors that produce 304 kW of power and 660 Nm of torque, to deliver a zero to 100 km/h time of just 4.9 seconds. Fitted with a 78 kWh battery, the XC40 Recharge flaunts a range of more than 400 km on the WLTP cycle, or 335 km on the EPA cycle. Charging the battery from 10% to 80% of its capacity takes approximately 40 minutes using a 150 kW DC public charger, which is the maximum charge the XC40 Recharge can handle.
We are not aware of any 150 kW DC public chargers in South Africa. Still, owners will be able to charge the vehicle at a Volvo dealership, at home, or any of the evergrowing network of (mostly 50 kW DC) public charging stations. Besides, Volvo Car South Africa is currently in the process of launching an extensive network of charging stations at its dealerships and, by the end of 2021, each Volvo dealership will have a charging station. We trust that these would include at least one 150 kW DC stall per charging station.
While exceptional performance is consistent with electrification, there are numerous additional advantages to a compact electric drivetrain. For instance, the lack of an internal combustion engine allows for extra space to include a 30-litre storage compartment – or frunk – below the front hood, while the placement of the batteries below the centre of the car translates to uncompromised space elsewhere.
The XC40 Recharge is the first of five fully electric cars to be launched by Volvo in the next five years. Following the introduction of the Volvo C40 Recharge and the new Volvo C40 Recharge, Volvo will launch several additional electric models in the near future. By 2025, Volvo aims for 50% of its global sales volume to consist of fully electric cars and hybrids. By 2030, Volvo envisages 100% all-electric car sales. In 2020 Volvo sold 661,713 vehicles in over 100 countries, which means Volvo aims to sell approximately 350,000 all-electric cars by 2025.
Volvo dealers will begin taking orders for the XC40 Recharge in April 2021, with deliveries to commence in August this year. The price of the XC40 Recharge is still to be confirmed.