What’s the hottest car today? Definitely the electric SUV, and even more so when it comes to a Coupe SUV. This is exactly what Volvo has just presented to us, with the C40 Recharge, its first 100% electric SUV Coupe and closely derived from the XC40 Recharge, a model also 100% electric from which it takes the technical basics.
However, the C40 Recharge is not just a poor copy of the XC40 Recharge, on the contrary, it differs from it in several ways. With this model, Volvo confirms and reinforces its plans for electrics, and inaugurates a series of electric car launches. According to the manufacturer’s forecasts, electric vehicles should represent 50% of its product mix by 2025 and 100% by 2030.
After the end of the C30s and C70s, Volvo returns with the letter C with its C40, a rather sporty SUV Coupé in lines, but also under the hood. It has a slimmer design and a slower, fastback roofline, with a small spoiler topping it off. The fixed panoramic roof also provides greater brightness and comfort for rear passengers. Interestingly, the headlights are changing, and not just in shape, as the triangular profile headlamps, echoing Thor’s hammer, introduce new pixel optic technology for more precise distribution of the light beam. They adapt to other road users and to conditions for optimum efficiency.
In addition to its engine which makes it a so-called “ecological” car, Volvo has taken this concept of respect for the environment a little further with the absence of leather upholstery inside the vehicle. recycled bottles as upholstery and fabrics were designed.
The C40 also integrates a multimedia and communication system based on the Android operating system, jointly developed with Google and integrated with services such as Google Maps, Google Assistant and the Google Play Store. Updates can also be done remotely.
The C40 has two electric motors, the Twin charging system, each based on an axle, making it an SUV with four-wheel drive. The power is 408 hp and the torque is 660 Nm, enough to go from 0 to 100 km / h in the space of 4.9 seconds! A good performance for a machine whose mass however exceeds two tons. On the other hand, as required by Volvo’s new policy, the top speed is limited to 180 km / h for safety reasons and the ambition of zero road fatalities among new Volvo drivers.
On the battery side, we find a set providing a capacity of 75 kWh, enough to offer the C40 a range of about 441 kilometers with a single charge according to the WLTP cycle. Other 100% electric versions, less powerful and more affordable, should arrive later.
The C40 Recharge starts from 59,760 euros. The Volvo C40 Recharge has entered production in Ghent, Belgium, and is already available to order on the Swedish automaker’s website. The first models will be delivered in early 2022.
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