Volvo has unveiled the XC40 Recharge as its first all-electric model, with the SUV featuring a 408hp twin-motor setup and a claimed range of more than 400km.
The new EV will join the existing range of petrol engined and plug-in hybrid variants of the small SUV, and will go on sale in the international markets late next year.
It will be the first of five fully electric models the firm will launch in the next five years, and Volvo is aiming for EVs to account for half of its global sales by 2025, with the rest featuring a hybrid powertrain. Those five electric cars, along with the Swedish firm’s plug-in hybrid models, will carry the new Recharge branding.
The firm has also outlined plans to reduce its lifecycle carbon footprint per vehicle by 40 percent by 2025, as part of a long-term goal to become climate neutral by 2040.
The four-wheel-drive XC40 Recharge features two 204hp electric motors, one mounted on each axle, that combine to offer 408hp and 660Nm of torque. This engine setup enables it to achieve 0-100kph in 4.9sec, with a limited top speed of 180kph.
Power is drawn from a 78kWh under-floor battery, with Volvo citing a WLTP-certified range of more than 400km. Charging is available through an 11kW AC charger or a 150kW DC fast-charger, which the firm says can deliver an 80 percent charge in 40min.
The vehicle largely retains the exterior and interior styling of the conventional XC40, albeit with the addition of a new sealed fascia in place of the traditional radiator grille for the combustion engine. The model also gets Recharge badges and other minor design tweaks, while the charging port is located on the rear pillar of the car in the same place as a traditional petrol cap.
Built on the same Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) platform as the regular XC40, the Recharge version retains largely the same dimensions, with a length of 4,425mm and a width of 2,034mm. Due to the underfloor batteries, the XC40 Recharge has a slightly reduced ground clearance of 175mm, compared to 211mm on the regular model.
The XC40 Recharge offers 413 litres of luggage capacity, a reduction from the 460 litres of the regular model. Although, due to the space saved by the lack of a combustion engine, it gains a 31-litre ‘frunk’ storage area underneath the bonnet. The SUV weighs 2,150kg, compared to 1,497kg for the combustion-engined version.
The XC40 Recharge is also the first Volvo to feature a new infotainment system powered by the Google Android operating system. This system features Volvo On Call – the firm’s digital platform.
With Volvo aiming for plug-in hybrids to account for a fifth of its total sales next year, the firm is planning to triple production capacity for its electrified models, including the XC40 Recharge. It will also offer a new Designer’s Choice selection for Recharge models, which it says will feature “radically reduced delivery times”.
We had previously reported that Volvo is working towards bringing the XC40 EV to our market and is also looking into the possibility of local assembly to keep the price in check.
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