Volvo's first fully electric car – the XC40 Recharge P8 AWD

With the XC40 Recharge P8 AWD, Volvo now presents its first fully electric car. Customers looking for an electric compact SUV in the premium segment, might find in the XC40 Recharge what they are looking for. Here, a modern, puristic design meets a sustainable driving pleasure.

What we particularly like, of course, is the design – modern and minimalist. Just as we know it from Volvo. The clean design language is reflected in the exterior as well as interior. The closed, smooth-surfaced grille immediately reveals that this is the electric version of the XC40. Besides the mode designation badge at the rear and the lettering ‘Recharge’ on the C-pillar indicate it.
There are 8 colours you can choose from, including the new exclusive colour ‘sage green’. The car top is painted in a contrasting black underlining the sporty and individuell look. The LED taillights, which are designed in the classic Volvo look and extended into the sides, emphasise the powerful look.

Despite of the large battery equipped in the P8 AWD, Volvo managed to not shrink the volume of the boot. With its 414 litres it offers excellent space and is identical to the other drive variants of the Volvo XC40. Since the combustion engine of course is omitted in the electric version of the XC40, you find additional space (31 litres) under the bonnet, which is ideal for storing the charging cable.

With two electric motors, one each on the front and rear axles, a total output of 300 kW (408 hp) and 660 Nm of torque, the XC40 Recharge convinces with its great performance. From 0 to 100 km/h, the XC40 Recharge accelerates in 4.9 seconds.
When driving in city traffic, the one-pedal driving mode is a perfect feature as you can accelerate and brake with only just one pedal. This mode offers you great comfort, however it takes some time to get used to it. When driving in this mode you automatically maximise the energy recuperation. Fully charged the vehicle has a range of up to 418 kilometres (according to WLTP). In urban areas even more and up to 500 km.

The XC40 Recharge is no longer equipped with a start button. It registers when the driver’s seat is taken and the driver has the right key in his pocket. So get in, engage the gear and you can drive off.
Inside, the Volvo XC40 Recharge P8 AWD offers great space as well as seating comfort. The design is coherent and appears elegant yet young. Everything is reduced to the essential. In the centre of centre console, you find the large touchscreen featuring almost all infotainment and comfort functions. So here, Volvo perfectly manages to minimise the number of switches and controls. The all-electric Volvo XC40 is the first model featuring the new Android infotainment system. You can make use of functions such as Google Maps, Google Assistant, third-party apps and services as well as other functions specially developed for electric vehicles. The handling is very easy and intuitiv.

Sustainability places value at Volvo. The XC40 Recharge P8 AWD contains around eleven percent of recycled material (based on vehicle weight) including plastic, steel and aluminium. E.g. carpets, door panels and the tunnel console are made from 97 percent recycled PET bottles.

Conclusion: the Volvo XC40 Recharge P8 AWD convinces in design, range, comfort and driving pleasure. With its size, the vehicle is also perfect for the city and with the range of up to 418 km, the XC40 Recharge makes its an attractive vehicle that can be definitely used for longer distances. At a fast charging station with up to 150 kW of power, the battery can be charged to 80 percent in around 40 minutes. So this means a recharging of around 100 kilometres of range per ten minutes. One point that could hold you back, might be the price. The electric version starts just under 60.000 € and with a few extras you easily pay up to 70.000 €.

The all-electric Volvo XC40 also belongs to the auto abo ‘Care by Volvo’. So if you are still not sure about electric mobility and would like to test an electric car, you can rent the XC40 Recharge P8 AWD on a subscription basis. For a fixed monthly price that includes insurance, taxes and service. Only electricity has to be covered by you.

Pictures: Volvo for ellectric
Text: Britta Reineke