Volvo’s first model not to offer an internal combustion-engine option, the C40 Recharge, arrives in Australia this year priced from $74,990 before on-road costs.
Deliveries of the electric crossover will begin in the third quarter of this year.
It’ll be available in both single-motor front-wheel drive and dual-motor all-wheel drive variants, much like the more upright XC40 Recharge Pure Electric with which it shares its Compact Modular Architecture underpinnings.
UPDATE, 12:01am 28/10/2022 – Our review of the Volvo C40 Recharge is now live, you can check it out here.
The base single-motor model is $2000 more than the equivalent 2023 XC40 Recharge, while the dual-motor Twin is $2500 more than the dual-motor XC40 Recharge.
It shares with its boxier sibling the 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system running on Android Automotive, which supports over-the-air updates and comes with a four-year data subscription.
The C40 Recharge is the first Volvo to be leather-free, with all C40s coming with synthetic options made from bio-based and recycled materials.
“The future of Volvo Cars is electric, and the C40 Recharge is the first model in Volvo’s history designed as pure electric only,” said Volvo Car Australia managing director Stephen Connor.
“It has the personality of the very popular XC40, but it’s more dynamic with a sleeker profile. It’s a very attractive car for people who are looking for the easy to-live-with aspects of an SUV with more of a modern statement.”
Volvo is planning to only sell electric vehicles from 2030 onwards, and plans for EVs to account for over half its global sales by 2025.
Pricing
- 2023 Volvo C40 Recharge: $74,990
- 2023 Volvo C40 Recharge Twin: $82,490
All prices exclude on-road costs.
Powertrains
The single motor, front-wheel drive C40 Recharge produces 170kW of power and 330Nm of torque, while the dual-motor all-wheel drive model produces 300kW and 660Nm. These outputs are identical to the XC40 Recharge.
Claimed 0-100km/h times are 7.4 seconds for the single-motor and 4.7 seconds for the dual-motor.
Efficiency
The Volvo C40 Recharge uses a 69kWh lithium-ion battery in single-motor guise and a 78kWh battery with the dual-motor powertrain.
WLTP electric range is 434km in the single-motor C40 and a 420km in the dual-motor Twin, per Volvo Car Australia. However, these are estimates.
For context, Volvo’s global site lists WLTP-certified range figures of 424km and 417km for the related single- and dual-motor XC40, respectively, though its local site displays a more conservative single-motor estimate of 380km.
You can charge the 69kWh battery from 10 to 80 per cent in 32 minutes using a 150kW DC fast charger, while the same increase in percentage takes 40 minutes with the 78kWh battery.
They can also be charged at up to 11kW with AC power.
Dimensions
The Volvo C40 Recharge measures 4440mm long, 1873mm wide, and 1596mm tall on a 2702mm wheelbase.
The first three years of servicing is included with the price of purchase in the related XC40 Recharge Pure Electric, including consumables like brake pads, discs, and wiper blades.
Servicing and Warranty
The Volvo C40 Recharge is backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty with eight years of roadside assistance. There’s also an eight-year battery warranty, and two-year servicing intervals.
Volvo Car Australia hasn’t confirmed service pricing.
Safety
The Volvo C40 Recharge has yet to be tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP, although the related XC40 has a five-star rating.
Standard safety equipment includes:
- Autonomous emergency braking (forward and reverse)
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Adaptive cruise control
- Lane-keep assist
- Pilot Assist (adaptive cruise control with lane-centering)
- Front and rear parking sensors with camera
Standard Equipment
The C40 Recharge comes standard with the following equipment:
- 9.0-inch touchscreen Android Automotive infotainment system with four-year data subscription, Google Services and over-the-air updates
- Wireless phone charging
- Keyless entry and start
- Dual-zone climate control
- Heated front seats
- Heated rear seats
- Hands-free power tailgate
- LED headlights
- Fixed panoramic roof
- Hill descent control
- Power-folding exterior mirrors
- Auto-dimming internal and external mirrors
- Power-folding rear headrests
The Recharge Twin adds:
- Dual-motor all-wheel drive
- 20-inch ‘Black Diamond-cut’ five-spoke alloy wheels
- Surround-view camera
- Harman Kardon sound system
- Microtech and textile interior
MORE: Everything Volvo C40
