After posting endless teasers, Volvo Cars has finally pulled the wraps off its first full-electric vehicle - the XC40 Recharge. The new all-electric SUV is the first model to appear in the brand's new Recharge car line concept and is based on the XC40 SUV. The 2020 Volvo XC40 Recharge Electric SUV holds a milestone for the brand, and will also be the first offering from the company to get the all-new infotainment system powered by Google's Android operating system. The new XC40 Recharge is the first of the new electric Volvos that will join the company's fleet as the automaker expects 50 per cent of its global sales coming from electric cars by 2025.
Also Read: Volvo XC40 Electric To Get All-New Infotainment System With Built-In Android OS
The dual electric motors are mounted on the front and rear axle that develop 402 bhp & 659 Nm
The 2020 Volvo XC40 Recharge is built on the new Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) platform that underpins both internal combustion and battery-powered vehicles. The electric SUV looks identical to the standard XC40 diesel, albeit sporting a new white-finished grille upfront that houses the Volvo badge. While the new and independent performance brand Polestar was the first to roll out electric cars in the Volvo Group, the XC40 Recharge is the first model to wear the iron mark. Much like the Tesla cars, the XC40 Recharge also gets a frunk at the front that offers a small storage space of 31 litres.
The cabin on the XC40 Recharge remains the same barring the new Android Infotainment System
The new Volvo XC40 Recharge SUV gets two 150 kW electric motors mounted on the front and rear axle that produce about 402 bhp and 659 Nm of peak torque. That's more than twice when compared to the standard Volvo XC40 that belts out 187 bhp from its 2.0-litre diesel. That said, the electric XC40 is about 500 kg heavier than the standard model but can sprint from 0-100 kmph in 4.9 seconds. All that electric power is sent to the four wheels via the electric all-wheel drive set-up, while power comes from a 78 kWh lithium-ion battery, promising a range of 400 km on a single charge (WLTP). Volvo says the battery can be charged up to 80 per cent in just 40 minutes on a fast charger system.
The cabin on the Volvo XC40 Recharge remains identical to the standard model, but you do get the new operating system for the infotainment unit. Revealed a few days ago, the Android-based operating system is completely integrated with Volvo On Call, the automaker's new digital connected services platform that allows users to track how they spend driving on electric power.
The Volvo XC40 Recharge will go on sale in markets across Europe and America in 2020
Speaking on the XC40 Recharge, Hakan Samuelsson, Chief Executive, Volvo Cars said, "We have said this several times before: for Volvo Cars, the future is electric. Today we take a major new step in that direction with the launch of our fully electric XC40 and the Recharge car line."
Also Read: Volvo Cars Aims To Be Carbon Neutral By 2040
The new XC40 Recharge arrives hot on the company's announcement to go carbon neutral by 2040. The automaker aims to have 40 per cent lower carbon emissions by 2025 by introducing electric vehicles in its fleet, while also streamlining its manufacturing processes that involve renewable and recycled practices. The company aims for plug-in hybrid cars to make up to 20 per cent of its total sales in 2020.
It's not clear when Volvo will be bringing the XC40 Recharge to India. However, given the push for electric mobility, it will be a segment that will be hard to ignore for niche players like Volvo Cars. The brand already retails the XC90 Hybrid in the country as one of its top-of-the-line products, and the XC40 Recharge would be a welcome addition in the entry-level electric luxury space.
