The C40 Recharge is a full electric SUV that put a great deal into its looks and style –resulting in a classy coupe family SUV.
New Volvo C40 all electric
Essentially, underneath it’s a XC40 but, the C40 Recharge has been given a much edgier in appearance as Volvo looks to capture a younger car buyer.
Take a step back and cast your eyes over the C40’s lines, the tall rear deck providing a low-slung muscularity its big wheels, and that boot spoiler with segmented rear lights that extend up the D-pillar these are some of the eye-catching touches that give the C40 its unique stand out identity.
There are other new sporty details, sportier side-skirts and bumpers, and there’s also a small boot lid spoiler. Up front you get the same blanked-off front grille that says the C40 is an all, electric car, while those headlights with main beams that include ultra-bright Pixel LED technology. At night, the door and dash inlays emit a glow so subtle you’ll think at first you’re seeing things, adding even more style.
Topping all this off is a tinted glass roof letting in plenty of light without the glare. Make no mistake the C40 Recharge is a very good, looking car.
The exteriors abundant style carries though to the inside. In common with many other new Volvo’s the Recharge gets an all, vegan interior as standard, while eye catching blue-coloured carpets and door trims give the car extra style.
The dash features some neat-looking trim inserts too, and a map-like contour line motif – the design of which is apparently taken from views of Sweden’s mountains.
The C40 Recharge features Volvo’s latest touchscreen infotainment system, which comes with built-in Google Maps, and supports over-the-air software updates. It is easy to use, the graphics are clear and responsive, and now supports Apple CarPlay, Android Auto isn’t available as the whole system is Android-based.
The C40 Recharge cabin is very well set up, there is plenty of room in the front, with a fully adjustable steering wheel. The sporty seats are heated and electrically adjustable and do a great job of keeping the driver comfortable and supported over longer trips.
The coupe roofline does restrict headroom in the back seats, but this will only effect taller passengers who may find that the tops of their heads brush the headlining.
The steeply sloped rear window restricts the view out the back while the small rear side windows reduce the light in the rear. On the plus side however, there are of parking cameras and sensors available to ensure you don’t accidentally catch anything while parking or reversing in tight spaces.
Boot space comes in at 414 litres and the hatchback opening makes loading bigger items very easy.
As for battery and motor options? Well, there’s just one set-up to choose from, a 75kWh battery with an official range of up to 273 miles, which is used to power two electric motors for a combined output of 408hp, and a 0-60mph time of 4.7 seconds.
The result is ridiculous acceleration, overtaking is easy, and when cruising it remains a smooth and quiet car to drive.
The steering is light and the large alloys and crisp suspension make it fun to drive at speed while doing a great job of smoothing out the lumps and potholes on the roads.
Charging, plug into a 7kW home wall box and you’ll replenish the C40’s battery overnight. Find a 150kW DC rapid charger, and it’ll be topped up from 10% to 80% in 40 minutes.
For More Details on the New Volvo C40 go to Volvo Cars