Volvo’s latest EV for India is the SUV-coupe sibling to the XC40 Recharge
Volvo has launched its second EV in India in the form of the new Volvo C40 Recharge. This is priced at Rs 61.25 lakh (ex-showroom, introductory) which makes it almost Rs 5 lakh pricier compared to its SUV-sibling – the XC40 Recharge.
However unlike the Volvo XC40, the C40 Recharge is actually the first vehicle from Volvo to be developed as a battery electric vehicle. The C40 has a dual-motor setup placed at either axles, which combined produce 408bhp and 660Nm of torque. This translates to a very speedy 0 to 100kmph time of 4.7 seconds which puts this in sportscar territory. As with other Volvo vehicles, this too is limited to a top speed of 180kmph.
The motors draw power from a 78kWh battery pack which gives the C40 Recharge a WLTP certified range of 530km on a single charge. This range is actually more compared to the XC40 Recharge by more than a hundred kilometres despite both being based on the same powertrain i.e. the motors and the battery. This is courtesy of the aerodynamics and to some extent, better battery composition.
Volvo will be providing a 11kW home charger with the C40 Recharge. This takes 7 to 8 hours to fill up the battery from 0 to 100 per cent. The car is also compatible with 150kW DC fast chargers which can take the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in under 30 mins.
The Volvo C40 Recharge has a handsome look, similar to the XC40 Recharge. The only difference being the rear where unlike the XC40, the roofline of the C40 drops sharply. It gets LED headlamps and LED DRLs, which again follow the brand’s famous and minimalist design philosophy. The SUV-coupe rides on 19-inch aero optimised alloy wheels. The rear features a twin spoiler setup, all to optimise the airflow and maximise the range.
The cabin is minimalistic and similar to the XC40 Recharge. This is however devoid of leather and made out of recycled materials. There is a large portrait style infotainment display, as well as a fully digital instrument cluster. Both displays use Google based software, hence get integration with Play Store apps like Maps. Features include Harman Kardon 600W audio system, panoramic sunroof, air purifier, 360-degree camera, wireless charging etc.
The Volvo C40 Recharge also gets an ADAS suite with multiple active and passive safety features. As such it does not have any direct rivals in the SUV-coupe EV category but considering its price tag, it will compete against the Kia EV6 which too is priced similarly.
