Volvo’s march to an all-electric future is just getting underway, and its newest soldier is the C40 Recharge, the brand’s second electric vehicle, but the first designed to be an EV from the ground up.
It also heralds the online-only sales strategy Volvo plans for its expanding EV portfolio.
The 2022 C40 Recharge, a sporty version of the XC40 compact crossover, will start at $59,845, including shipping but before tax credits. The first vehicles are rolling off a Belgium assembly line this fall. As is the case these days with many new vehicles, buyers can preorder the C40 Recharge.
It fills some small white space by blending the ride height of an SUV and crossover with the cargo space of a hatchback, with the trade-offs made for sportier styling.
It is the first Volvo engineered without a conventional grille and introduces a front fascia design that includes headlights with pixel technology.
The C40 is equipped with a 78-kilowatt-hour battery and two motors — one driving the front wheels, the other driving the rear. The Polestar 2, from Volvo’s high-performance EV brand, offers a similar powertrain. And Volvo says the C40’s battery can be fast charged to 80 percent in about 40 minutes.
We’ve rounded up some early media reviews.
“When it comes to the driving experience, Volvo’s approach is to keep it simple. There aren’t multiple drive modes or settings like on the Polestar 2 we recently drove back in the States. Instead, the C40’s only options are ‘off-road’ and a stiffer steering feel (the latter of which we found doesn’t significantly enhance handling). There is no adaptive suspension offering, but the fixed setup keeps us comfortable on straight highways and gently curving country roads. As with many electric vehicles, the C40 Recharge offers one-pedal drive (lifting off the accelerator scrubs enough speed to negate use of the brake pedal), which feels much more aggressive than on the Ford Mach-E GT we drove the week prior. And while the Volvo’s one-pedal setting isn’t adjustable like on the Polestar, you can turn it off completely for a more traditional feel. …
“In the cabin, patterned backlit trim was created from scans of Sweden’s topography. Lightweight vegan materials underscore the focus of Volvo designers on weight reduction and sustainability. …
“New for the C40 is an infotainment system powered by Google, including its voice-activated assistant and Google Maps. For the most part, it’s an improvement over the current Volvo interface, although we had some issues with Google Maps redirecting us from the more circuitous, set drive route onto faster highways (a Volvo representative tells us this can be remedied by setting specific waypoints). Also, Apple CarPlay is not currently supported, but we’re told it will be available at a future date via an over-the-air update.”
— Laura Burstein, Robb Report
“Driving impressions and technical data aren’t what matters most with the C40. The coupeover is available with one powertrain configuration that uses a 78-kilowatt-hour battery pack and a pair of electric motors, one at each axle. The setup is identical to the XC40 Recharge, but with 408 horsepower and 487 pound-feet of torque the C40 is slightly more powerful than the XC40. Volvo quotes a 0-to-60-mph time of 4.5 seconds, a couple tenths quicker than the XC40. While the EPA hasn’t officially rated the C40 yet Volvo estimates a range of 225 miles, also slightly better than the XC40’s estimated 208 miles.
“The C40 seems quieter on the highway than the XC40, likely helped by its better aerodynamics. The 20-inch wheels with a cool aero design and all-season tires will be standard in the U.S., and the C40 has nonadaptive dampers. Its ride is firm but smooth and comfortable, even on the cobblestone roads of Ghent, Belgium. There are no drive modes beyond Off-Road, though you can make the steering weight heavier and adjust the level of regenerative braking — I love the C40’s true one-pedal capability. Overall, the C40 drives pretty much exactly the same as its XC40 sibling, and that’s a good thing.”
— Daniel Golson, Road Show by CNET
“There are entries in the gains and losses columns when comparing the C40 Recharge and the XC40 Recharge. In the C40 losses column, the roof sits 2.4 inches lower than that of the XC40, and rear-seat headroom is down by 1.6 inches, although there’s no issue fitting a five-foot-11 frame, with plenty of room to crane the neck. Thanks to the sloping roofline, the luggage space behind the second row takes the obvious hit and is down three cubes compared with the XC40 Recharge.
“And then there’s the back glass, tabbed for a gain and a loss. Volvo claims that the aerodynamic work the designers did aft of the B-pillar, from the roof winglets that cover the liftgate hinges to the rear spoiler, extended range by 6 percent. A software update to the 2022 XC40 Recharge increased last year’s EPA-rated 208-mile range to 223, so Volvo’s estimate that the C40 Recharge will go 225 miles on a charge doesn’t make the impact it could have. …
“The C40 lost its grace around town only when encountering sharp-edged objects like aggressive speed bumps, railroad tracks, and potholed tarmac — the same as we experienced in the XC40 Recharge. Lacking an internal-combustion engine as a masking agent, the suspension sends impacts from the 20-inch wheels vibrating up the steering column and into the seats. Quick changes of direction are also not a forte — at least not until the C40 Recharge is pushed hard enough to turn the average Volvo owner the same Fjord Blue as our sample car.”
— Jonathon Ramsey, Car and Driver
“The C40 Recharge is a fashion statement. The raked windshield, low, fast roofline, and fastback hatch are what set this EV apart from its more upright counterpart.
“The front bumper is tweaked with slightly different aero and unique headlights while the rear features a fastback design. The air deflector that trails off the roof isn’t just there to make the C40 Recharge look better. It hides the hinges for the tailgate to keep them from intruding in the interior and cutting further into the already meager rear headroom. The rear spoiler is functional and helps control the airflow off the rear. …
“The C40 Recharge holds no surprises behind the wheel. It feels, and drives, like the XC40 Recharge, and even similarly to the Polestar 2 dual-motor. Which is to say the ride is firm and buttoned-down, but never jarring even over Ghent’s cobblestone roads despite the standard 20-inch wheels. Road and wind noise are muted; it has less wind noise on the highway than a Mustang Mach-E. The true surprise is the nicely weighted steering that doesn’t feel overboosted in low-speed parking lot situations. There’s a “firm” setting that introduces too much artificial heft, but the normal setting is the perfect weight and allows the C40 Recharge to track nicely on the highway with no input corrections needed.”
— Joel Feder, Green Car Reports
“Pairing a fully electric drivetrain with Volvo’s relentless focus on safety and quality results in perhaps the most refined electric vehicle we’ve driven to date. Its refined interior and sound dampening bring a level of quality and comfort that doesn’t exist in my Tesla Model 3.
“Overall, the new Dual Motor Volvo C40 Recharge Twin is an exciting new battery electric vehicle that competes with and bests many of the top competitors in its class today. In fact, in many meaningful ways, it raises the bar. I love the leather free interior and the focus on recycled fabrics. It’s where we need to go and it felt amazing. The performance of the C40 took my breath away and, outside of a race track, I honestly couldn’t imaging needing or wanting more power than this vehicle is packing. The future is electric and Volvo is clearly building vehicles to put it in a leadership position in that future.
“At 225 miles of range per charge, it’s not going to win any medals for range, but if we’re honest, that’s more than sufficient for the vast majority of drivers. Similarly, 150kW DC fast charging is not competitive with the 250kW, 350kW, and higher charging speeds we’re hearing about from charging network operators but it is still extremely functional.”
— Kyle Field, CleanTechnica
“The differences between the XC40 and its fastback twin are less apparent inside, as the C40 gets the same overall cabin design, including the funky carpeted door pockets. The most dramatic departure is the available Fjord Blue interior, which gets a charcoal-colored dashboard, seats, and door panels, with the carpets and flat-woven floor mats done up in a color convincingly inspired by the deep water on Scandinavia’s west coast. With a matching Fjord Blue exterior, it’s arguably the C40’s best colorway, betraying its Swedish heritage and highlighting its devotion to sustainability.
“That’s because the EV makes use of a staggering amount of recycled plastic. A total of 71 PET plastic bottles get reincarnated as the carpeting and suede-like seat centers, while the floor mats are made from old fishing nets that would otherwise clog those aforementioned fjords. Yes, the monotone charcoal interior scheme boasts the same recycling cred, but by choosing deep blue, you’re putting your eco-friendly priorities on full display. The interior is also totally leather-free, with nice-feeling ‘microtech’ smooth upholstery on the seat bolsters, door panel uppers, and steering wheel rim. A sustainable wool option will come later. …
“The C40 [Recharge has] polished road manners and bold performance. The XC40-donated setup is good for a total of 402 horsepower and 487 pound-feet, enabling a sprint to 60 miles per hour in 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 112 miles per hour — roughly equal numbers to the non-GT Ford Mustang Mach-E and Tesla Model Y Long Range.
“However, the numbers don’t tell the story of how poised the C40 Recharge feels in just about every traffic situation. The skinny pedal feels progressive and natural, allowing for smooth departures in town without sacrificing swift response when giving it the boot. And the digital speedometer displays numbers one at a time in quick succession, rather than skipping by two or three. When you’re flooring it, the readout is a festive flurry of numbers that adds to the accelerative drama just a bit. Every added inch of pedal travel corresponds to a commensurate shove in the lower back, and the C40 is surprisingly exciting to get up to speed.”
— Brett T. Evans, Motor1.com