FORECOURT
VOLVO XC40 RECHARGE
Power
All-wheel drive helps put down the 402bhp and 660Nm on to the road.
Volvo’s heart is set on electrification – and Jack Evans has put its first fully electric model to the test.
THE KNOWLEDGE WHAT IS IT? Volvo is a company with electrification at its very core, with plans to make 50 per cent of its sales fully electric by 2025 – and it’s set to become a solely EV company by 2030. But up until now, it has largely majored in hybrids. The XC40 P8 Recharge represents Volvo’s first foray into fully battery-powered vehicles, converting one of its most popular vehicles to run solely on plug-in power. The question is, can this be the EV debut Volvo was looking for? WHAT’S NEW? Underneath, we’ve got a whole new powertrain – the same as the one in Polestar’s 2, incidentally, and the pair share the same CMA modular platform, too. It means that although the exterior might appear like a carbon-copy of its more petrol-focused stablemates, the way it propels itself is considerably different. WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET? The XC40 P8 Recharge makes use of an all-wheel-drive electric setup, which is a good thing indeed as it has a sizeable 402bhp and 660Nm to translate to the road – not the sort of power outputs you’d expect from a car of this type. In fact, this diminutive little Volvo will outstretch all manner of sports cars. The ability to charge at speeds of up to 150kW means the battery can be taken from zero to 80 per cent in as little as 40 minutes, while a full charge via a home wallbox will take around eight hours. WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE? The extra weight of this battery-powered car can be felt from the off, although there’s no doubting the potency of the electric motor setup. Even moderate applications of throttle cause the XC40 to surge forwards, ramping up speed at an alarming pace. This Volvo’s ride is a mixed bag, though. It’s soft on most occasions, which means it rolls and lists through bends. However, there’s also a firmness that seems to translate many of the road imperfections through and into the cabin. We travelled a decent 132-mile route before stopping to charge with the battery showing around 38 per cent remaining. On a particularly cold day, we expected the range to dip below claimed, but this would put it below the 200-mile mark. It seems more than likely then that the car’s range readout was a touch pessimistic. 32 | CarDealerMag.co.uk
Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge Price: £53,155 Engine: Electric motors with 78kWh battery Power: 402bhp Torque: 660Nm Max speed: 112mph O-60mph: 4.7 seconds Range: 257 miles Emissions: 0g/km CO2
