Volvo’s first battery electric vehicle is supercar fast

Volvo has begun its journey towards becoming a 100% electric car company by 2030 with the launch of its first battery electric vehicle, the C40 Recharge.

Using the CMA platform shared with Polestar 2, the C40 Recharge will not be offered with an internal combustion engine. So it’s arguably bigger news than its first BEV, the XC40 Recharge, which is an additional model alongside its petrol sibling.

Volvo is planning a future beyond the internal combustion engine and expects half of its fleet to be fully electric by 2025. The plant in Ghent, Belgium (with a production capacity of 280,000 vehicles) is already prepared to produce 135,000 electric vehicles per year by the end of 2022.

challenge accepted

On a 150kW DC fast charger, the C40 should charge from 10 percent to 80 percent in 37 minutes, while on an AC charger, a full charge takes eight hours to 100 percent and about 440 km returns.

Like all electric vehicles, the C40 is fast by ICE standards, reaching 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds with a top speed of 180 km/h. It’s powered by a 78kWh lithium-ion battery that feeds two electric motors, one in each axle, for a combined output of 402hp and 659Nm of torque. As impressive as its standing start is, the real fun comes from its overtaking pressure from 50km/h to 100km/h and beyond.

Merging onto a freeway immediately entices you to challenge the bigger, beefier cars around (they’ve lost every time) and gives you the confidence of a supercar to merge with the outside lane and silently place a soccer field between you and those those around you were a few seconds earlier.

According to Volvo, the C40 should be charged from 10 to 80 percent in 37 minutes on a 150 kW DC fast charger, while charging to 100 percent on an AC charger takes eight hours, with a full charge returning around 440 km.

The large grille blank that includes its badge is heated to keep the camera and sensors clean, but also identifies it as a BEV and as a member of Volvo’s C40 family. The rear features a new interpretation of the tall taillights that fold into the D-pillars and perform a magical light trick when starting off, creating a trippy staircase effect.

In the driver’s seat

The cabin is made from recycled plastic, naturally renewable wool fibers and Microtech.

The first thing you notice inside is that there is no start button. To get the C40 Recharge rolling, step on the brakes, shift into gear and off you go. To stop, just park it, lock the door, and walk away.

It’s almost as simple as its single-pedal arrangement, which is switchable for freeways but is brilliant around town and especially in stop-start traffic. Lift off the accelerator and it comes to a full stop, using regenerative braking to charge the battery. It works at any speed, but for highway driving it’s best to turn it off so you can drive like a regular ICE car. I brushed the brake pedal maybe three times in two days.

The Specifications+

Engine: 2x201bhp AC Permanent Magnetic Electric

Transmission: n / A

Power: 402 hp

Torque: 659 Nm

Price estimate: Dh200,000

On offer: Q3 2022

The all-season tires on The National’s test car were designed to avoid fitting separate summer and winter tires in Europe, but were noisy so hopefully a quieter replacement for the 20-inch rims can be found without the need for winter tires in Australia.

While the single-arch roofline, which tapers across the rear, looks sleek and aids aerodynamic efficiency, it hinders rearward visibility. The C40 has a naturally high, SUV-like seating position, and while headroom is decent, I adjusted the rearview mirror and ducked to get a clear shot out the mailbox window behind.

This also affects rear headroom for tall passengers, who sit on two rows of batteries, although a full-length glass roof adds a few precious millimeters of headroom.

The C40 Recharge is well equipped, but you won’t find leather anywhere. It uses recycled plastic for the floor and doors, while using naturally renewable wool fibers and a combination of suede made from recycled plastic and microtech material.

Dual-zone automatic climate control is standard, as is electric front, rear and steering wheel heating, plus a 12-inch digital cluster, Harman Kardon premium audio and wireless charging. Initially, the C40 only offers Android, but we’re told Apple CarPlay will be added soon in an over-the-air update.

The 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system is powered by Google, which works for most uses but was outwitted by the many detours and roadworks along the way. The old Sensus software might have been a bit clunky, but I don’t recall it sending me the wrong way multiple times.

Pilot Assist adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition, 360-degree camera system and front and rear parking sensors are also standard.

How to get yours

Volvo Middle East hasn’t committed to local pricing or specs just yet, but with an options list that includes quite a bit of metallic paintwork to minimize delivery times ordered online, it’s fair to say what we’ve driven is what we’ll get .

Perhaps taking a leaf out of Elon Musk’s book, the C40 Recharge can only be ordered online in some markets with a minimal refundable deposit. This includes service, warranty, roadside assistance, insurance and home charging options, while dealers continue to keep a car on site for testing.

Customers can speak to advisors online before being directed to a dealership to arrange a test drive, complete the order and either collect the car or have it delivered to their home or office. This method is expected to be used if or when the C40 Recharge lands in the second half of this year.

Updated January 21, 2022 6:06 p.m

The Specifications+

Engine: 2x201bhp AC Permanent Magnetic Electric

Transmission: n / A

Power: 402 hp

Torque: 659 Nm

Price estimate: Dh200,000

On offer: Q3 2022