Volvo XC40 Recharge Silently Shows Up On Company Website

Update: The Volvo XC40 Recharge will launch in India on July 26

• Powered by a dual-motor AWD electric powertrain, delivering 408PS and 660Nm.

• A 78kWh battery helps it garner a WLTP-claimed 418km of range.

• A 150kW DC fast charger gives a 0-80 percent charge time of around 40 minutes.

• Looks largely identical to the standard XC40 aside from a closed-off front grille and different wheels.

• Features a Google Android OS infotainment system with apps and services like Google Maps, Google Assistant, and Google Play Store.

• Will take on the upcoming Lexus UX 300e in India.

After a long delay, Volvo is set to kickstarted it's electric journey in India with the XC40 Recharge electric SUV.  And now, the vehicle has shown up in the configurator on Volvo's official website. Interestingly, the website showed a price tag of  Rs 75 lakh which may not be the final price once it acutally goes on sale in the country.  It is Volvo’s first ever all-electric SUV, and is based on the CMA platform like its petrol-powered counterpart.

What separates the XC40 Recharge and its standard internal combustion-engined counterpart is under the hood of course. We’ve got a dual-motor electric powertrain, making 408PS and 660Nm, driving all four wheels. Yep, that’s the equivalent of having two 2-litre turbo petrol engines on board the petrol-powered XC40. All that helps the electric SUV sprint from a standstill to 100kmph in just 4.9 seconds, with a top speed of 180kmph.

Power ain’t everything of course, as a 78kWh battery pack helps the XC40 Recharge achieve a WLTP-claimed range of 418 km on a single charge. Speaking of charging, a 11kW AC charger can do a 0-100 percent charge in around 8-10 hours. Strap on a 150kW DC fast charger and you can juice it up to 80 percent in just 40 minutes.

Mechanicals aside, you’d be hard pressed to differentiate the XC40 Recharge to the standard model. But the former does have its own identity, thanks to a closed-off front grille. Even the wheels sport a different design. It can be specced in five different body shades: Black Stone, Crystal White, Denim Blue, Fusion Red, and Glacier Silver. 

The story is similar on the inside too with feature highlights being a powered tailgate, a 360-degree camera, dual-zone climate control, an air purifier, a 13-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, a 12-inch digital drivers display, a panoramic sunroof, and a wireless phone charger. The key differentiator in the XC40 Recharge is a Google Android OS 9-inch infotainment system with built-in Google apps and services like Google Maps, Google Assistant, and Google Play Store.

The Volvo XC40 Recharge should launch soon considering the electric SUV has shown up on the company webstite. Currently, it has no direct rival in the country  save for the more expensive Audi e-tron, Mercedes-Benz EQC, and the Jaguar I-Pace. But that is set to change soon, as the Lexus UX 300e is undergoing testing in India and could show up towards the end of 2022.