Volvo C40 Recharge Pure Electric
The trio is complete
Volvo C40 Recharge Pure Electric
© press-inform – the press office
Volvo is providing its XC40 Recharge with the C40, a coupé version that is well worth seeing. The hatchback SUV should please many customers.
Because it stands out visually pleasantly from one or the other crossover on the market. Unlike the Volvo XC40, the C40 is only available with an electric drive. Technically, the C40 and XC40 Recharge are almost identical, because the brothers are not only on the same CMA platform, but have the same front end, a corresponding interior and the same drive package. It is mandatory for the Volvo C40 Recharge Pure Electric to be equipped with two electric motors on the front and rear axles, which ensure dynamic propulsion. The package is already well known from the Polestar 2, has an output of 300 kW / 408 hp and a maximum torque of 660 Nm, which is already available at the start.
The 4.43-meter-long Swede is accordingly sporty, if desired, and many a Tesla Model Y driver feels compelled to step on the gas harder at the start of the traffic light in Pasadena or Glendale in order not to lose touch. Apparently, word has not yet got around among the Tesla disciples in the USA that Volvo has not only opted for an electric future, but also already has electric models on the road. The overall package of the Volvo C40 is just as consistent as that of the Polestar 2 and Volvo XC40 Recharge. Even if the coordination of springs and dampers is not quite as tight as in the Polestar 2, you are sporty on the road and the often broken roads and large transverse joints, especially in the USA, put a lot of pressure on the crossover with all sporty demands. Many of the bumps in the floor throw up being passed on to the occupants inside.
Thanks to the battery pack hidden in the underbody, the 2.2-ton all-wheel-drive SUV cushions with commitment and you want an adaptive damper adjustment that brings more comfort to the vehicle. Things look very different when cornering quickly, because even if the power assistance of the steering could be a bit more difficult, it is fun to drive the C40 quickly through the city center or to enjoy the low center of gravity together with the high engine power on country roads. Unhappy in Europe and especially in Germany – in the USA the limited top speed of 180 km / h is hardly a problem. Even on remote highways, people rarely drive more than 100 miles per hour (about 160 km / h) at a permitted 75 to 85 miles. Compared to some of its competitors, the electric Volvo trailer can pull up to 1.8 tons.
With the 78 kWh battery pack, the Volvo C40 Recharge Pure Electric, which costs at least 57,890 euros, should have a range of 440 kilometers without recharging, because the standard consumption according to the WLTP is between 20.7 and 22.3 kWh per 100 kilometers, depending on the equipment and wheel combination . In real terms, with the automatic air conditioning switched on and a brisk driving style, it is more like 350 to 370 kilometers. Most users are unlikely to be missing a larger battery pack, as the Swede is unlikely to become a long-distance cruiser in the home. The charging power of a maximum of 150 kW is currently in the competitive environment, but hardly sets any records. The 500 kilogram battery can be charged to 80 percent in around 40 minutes at a quick charging station.
Volvo has banned leather seats from the options for its electric models and so you sit on plastic surfaces that look quite neat, but cannot offer the comfort value of leather. The interior looks sober and technical with its Google operating concept on the nine-inch portrait touchscreen – warm leather seats in particular would look good as a counterpoint to the interior. What is missing is a head-up display, which should at least be offered in this class for an extra charge. The standard panoramic roof brings a lot of light into the interior of the crossover – but cannot be shaded by a blind. This flaw already exists in the Polestar 2. No miracles can be expected in view of the manageable dimensions of the space. The space in the front is okay, but in the rear it is narrower due to the class. You shouldn’t expect three people to sit on this back seat and two adults should only feel comfortable on shorter distances, depending on their height. Children are better off, while the trunk behind the electric tailgate of the hatchback swallows between 420 and 1,200 liters. Practical: the loading utensils and small items can be found under the front hood in the so-called trunk.