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Volvo will launch only a single new model this year: the C40 Recharge. This SUV Coupé will only be available in an electric version. The manufacturer has already announced a zero-emission strategy for 2030.
“Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black.” This famous maxim of Henry Ford’s applies to Volvo’s power train a hundred years later. Out with combustion engines, in with electric motors. The new C40 Recharge is the first model to be launched and it showcases the Swedish manufacturer’s ambitions in style.
Produced at the Volvo factory in Ghent, Belgium, the SUV Coupé will only have to travel a few kilometers to reach the showrooms of the Grand Duchy during this Autofestival. This is a solid achievement for its carbon footprint, in addition to the other initiatives taken by the manufacturer. For example, the interior of this C40 is designed in part with recycled materials. To take the matter even further, Volvo has also eliminated the use of leather for its seats.
But what is this SUV like on the road? Initially available with two engines (for total power of 78 kWh), each powering an axle, it develops more than 400 hp and 660 Nm of torque. Breathtaking, even disproportionate for our continuously congested roads. And yet, despite this abundance of power, the C40 Recharge boasts a range of 444 km. However, you will need to be patient to fully recharge the battery: 40 hours on a household outlet, at least 8 hours on an AC terminal (three-phase 11 kW charger) and 37 minutes on a fast DC terminal (max. 150 kW), if you are lucky enough to find one in the area.
Accelerate and brake with one pedal
The steering is precise even on winding roads and in urban areas. In the city, in fact, you’ll get caught up in the game of single-pedal driving. This practical little Volvo innovation allows the car to brake by itself as soon as the accelerator pedal is completely released. It just takes time to adapt to how it works. While the added value is obvious in urban areas, single-pedal driving is of limited value in less populated areas. Obviously, the coupé look of this C40 is visually attractive but it is also a little less practical than its cousin, the XC40, which shares the same platform. The sloping roofs means that the trunk loses 57 litres of capacity and the rear passengers lose a little more than 6 cm in headroom. The only new model of the year at Volvo, the C40 Recharge is offered in dealerships in the lavishly equipped Twin Launch Edition at €60,388, or directly on the Internet for nearly €2,000 less at €58,445.
Image source: © Volvo