Volvo C40 Recharge

Hello, electric car lovers! In this blog, I cover all the latest tech news surrounding electric cars. I cover the background, feel and drive, the current selling price, and the specs and engineering that go into making each car. If you have an electric car that you’d like me to cover let me know in the comments below. In today's article, I’m reviewing the new Volvo C40. I’ll be covering the most important features to see whether it crushes the competition or not with it’s luxurious interior unlike the minimalism of most EVs. Oh, and one more thing before I start -  do you know How do you make a Volvo go faster downhill?

Okkaayyyy...  Now back to the article.

The new all-electric C40 Recharge was shown to the public at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed, with manufacturing set to begin this autumn. And here it is: Volvo's first all-electric vehicle. Despite the strong relationship between the Swedish manufacturer and the former tuner-turned-brand, the posh Polestar 2 isn't officially a Volvo. The new Volvo C40 Recharge, which will be available in 2022, is the first Volvo vehicle to offer exclusively an electric drivetrain, with no gas or hybrid variants planned, and it sets the scene for Volvo's EV-only future alongside the brand's other battery-electric Recharge options. Though contemporary Volvo nomenclature is little assistance, it's quite easy to grasp what the new C40 is conceptually. We're all aware of Volvo's "S" and "V" prefixes, which stand for classic sedan and wagon, respectively, as well as "XC" badged SUVs. From the 1990s until the early 2010s, the "C" was utilized as a coupe and convertible form of the similar S70 and S40 sedans, as well as the attractive small S40-based C30 hatchback.

Think of the new C40 as a coupe version of the current XC40 Recharge, except it's one of those fastback SUVs, like the Porsche Cayenne Coupe or Mercedes GLE Coupe, that has all four doors and only uses the term "coupe" to describe its somewhat more dramatic look. This is the same as the XC40 Recharge, but swoopier and more ambitious.

The C40 will be delivered by the end of the year, in accordance with Volvo's goal of having half of its global sales be fully electric by 2025, and to be an EV-only company by 2030.

Design and Engineering

The C40 Recharge is built on the same CMA platform as the XC40 and the Polestar 2. A sloping roofline and new rear light design are added to the Audi Q4 E-tron and BMW iX3 competition. The front contains a development of the closed-off grille from that automobile, which is "a new look for electric Volvos." The C40 has the same external proportions as the XC40, measuring 4431mm long and 2035mm wide, with the exception that it is 690mm shorter, at 1582mm, due to its coupé-like roof.

Aesthetically, therefore, this C40 Recharge differs mainly from the XC40 by its plunging profile which gives it a more dynamic look. As often with this type of bodywork. From the front already, we appreciate the new sharper look, which will be gradually declined on the next models. The lights incorporate LED pixel technology providing adaptive lighting. A technology ultimately similar to the Matrix LED models of the Volkswagen group and here composed of 84 LEDs per headlight. You can also observe that the shield sports a more aggressive design than on the XC40. And with its full and rounded grille like a bull's muzzle, we must admit that this C40 has its own little character. It inspires a certain power, and for good reason. But we will come back to that.

The rear part also has some rather subtle details. The vertical optics in particular have been completely redesigned, and are more reminiscent of the brand's station wagons rather than SUVs. We also note the adoption of a small spoiler at the end of the trunk, and a unique roof spoiler in the shape of a diffuser. Very successful too. And apparently effective, since this C40 benefits from a Cx of 0.32. Not bad for an SUV.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/sites/autocar.co.uk/files/styles/body-image/public/1-volvo-xc90-b5-petrol-2020-uk-fd-hero-front.jpg?itok=PktBg0PW

At Volvo's facility in Ghent, Belgium, the C40 will be built alongside the XC40. It will be followed by an electric version of the next-generation XC90 seven-seater, which is expected to debut next year, as well as a smaller SUV based on a new platform, dubbed the XC20.

The new SUV will be available in a variety of interior trim colors and lines, and it will be Volvo's first vehicle without leather. It also has Volvo's new Android-based touchscreen infotainment system, which was created in collaboration with Google and will come with unlimited data consumption to allow for over-the-air upgrades. The C40's smooth touchscreen interface may be unpleasant to those who like knobs and buttons, but it looks stunning, encircled by a backlit textured trim that runs over the dash and around the front door panels. In case you need a fun bit of information for your passengers, the design of that trim is based on topographical maps of Sweden's Abisko National Park.

That system, which debuted in the XC40 P8, represents a major advancement over the company's prior infotainment system. Volvo's creation of an integrated operating system with Google Android Auto for the XC40 Recharge, and now for the C40, was a significant step forward. Drivers may log in with a Google ID and get fast access to directions, contacts, music, and Google voice recognition, with or without connecting a phone. On Polestar 2, the same method is employed.

It has a Fjord blue cerulean inside that pops like a vintage overcoat's silk lining. It's the type of fashion statement you don't see in cars that aren't custom-built Rolls-Royces, and it's a refreshing difference from the monochromatic austerity we've come to expect in electric-car interiors. The door panel pockets can hold a laptop, the wireless charging phone pad can accommodate both large and small phones, and if you prefer connected charging, there's a little clip above the USB ports to keep the connection neat. The C40 has a motif of everything in its place. The glove box has a hanging hook for a handbag or shopping bag that folds away when not in use. There's also a pen holder that snaps in, three places for parking garage tickets or other often lost and required cards and documents, and a retractable trash can in the console for the less-needed ones.

To provide additional space for stepping in or lifting a child into a child seat, the doors are linked to the car's outside body. To avoid any loss of headroom in the back, the rear hatch was designed with the same outside-hinge method, giving designers an opportunity to employ neat small winglet roof coverings. The rear storage capacity will be slightly smaller than the square-roofed XC40, but not much, and the smart cargo hooks and stowable cargo cover we loved in that vehicle will also be found in the C40.

The C40 shares the same powertrain as the XC40 P8 and Polestar 2. Still, with its “athletic” cut SUV look, we expect road benefits of the same ilk. The C40 has a mechanism that seems almost oversized. Indeed, for its launch the C40 is only offered in one version - top of the range - composed of two electric motors developing a combined power of 304 KW!, and 487lb ft at 4350rpm, Its peak speed is limited to 112 mph, as is the case with all Volvo vehicles these days. The same mechanics in fact that we find on the XC40 P8.

One motor per axle and therefore 4 driving wheels, for this efficient, safe and energetic mechanism! Moreover, the performance numbers speak for themselves: 4.7 s at 0 to 62 Mph. It is almost a sportswoman's chrono. And in practice according to test drivers, the 660 Nm of maximum torque sticks to the seats at the slightest acceleration, without the slightest latency, and whatever the speed at which we are driving, when starting as well as when picking up. The behavior is also interesting, because this C40 shows a beautiful agility in curves. It's stable! Perfectly even, as long as one does not seek the limits of the chassis ... which nobody will do on a daily basis. This good foundation is paid for in terms of damping, a little firm, even if the filtering is excellent. To see therefore with a more reasonable rise.

Battery Life

Similar to the one fitted to the XC40 Recharge, the lithium-ion battery that powers the C40 Recharge accumulates 78 kWh of energy capacity. Announced at 260 miles, the range may change depending on the software updates made by the manufacturer.

On a fast charging station, an 80% charge should only last about 40 minutes. Not specified at this stage, the characteristics will likely be close to the XC40 which has a 7.4 kW charger, with the option of a 22 kW one, and tolerates up to 150 kW in direct current.

Price and model Range

The C40, like all new electric Volvos, will be sold completely online, either outright or through the Care by Volvo subscription program. It will also come with a 'care package,' which covers maintenance, a guarantee, and roadside support, as well as insurance and home-charging alternatives, if they are available.

At Volvo's facility in Ghent, Belgium, the C40 will be built alongside the XC40. It will be followed by an electric version of the next-generation XC90 seven-seater, which is expected to debut next year, as well as a smaller SUV based on a new platform, dubbed the XC20. The Volvo C40 Recharge must be delivered to its first owners in January 2022. It is sold at the list price of $58,750 + $1,095 Destination, but becomes eligible for the ecological bonus, if there were any, through the game of commercial discounts. Reduced to about  $ 57,400. its price becomes curiously similar to that of the Tesla Model Y long range.

This wraps up my review of the Volvo C40, let me know what you think of it. Thank you for sticking it out through to the very end of this article! Nothing helps out my blog more than y’all reading the entire article. These articles take a long time to make and are a labor of love. If you would like to see my blog grow, please help spread the word and until next time, remember, the best experiences aren’t about where you end up, but who you’re lucky enough to be on the journey with.