Volvo XC40 Recharge undercuts all of its competitors like Kia EV6 and BMW i4 in price and the most powerful too
Volvo India has launched its first ever pure electric car, XC40 Recharge, for a price tag of Rs. 55.9 lakhs (ex-showroom). The locally assembled electric SUV is based the regular XC40 and sits on the same Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) platform.
In India, it’s available only in the lone fully-loaded P8 trim with all bells and whistles. Coming to the looks, the chiseled bumper and the frameless grille plate at the front are augmented by the signature Thor Hammer headlights which get pixel LED technology.
On the inside, the EV gets Tailored Wool blend upholstery with contrasting white piping. An advanced air purifier system prevents up to 80 percent of hazardous PM 2.5 particles from entering the cabin.
The XC40 Recharge is equipped with an infotainment system jointly developed with Google offering customers personalisation and new embedded services such as the Google Assistant, Google Maps, and apps on Google Play.
Other equipment include a panoramic sunroof, wireless mobile phone charging, connected car tech, and powered front seats with memory.
Power comes from 2 electric motors each powering an axle. The combined power and torque of both the motors is 408 HP and 660 Nm, which make the Volvo SX40 Recharge the most powerful in its segment along with the Mercedes-Benz EQC.
The all-new Volvo produces more power than both the recently-launched BMW i4 and Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD. It shows up in the performance numbers too as the Volvo is quicker off its foot when compared with the BMW and Kia.
The motors are supplied by a 78 kWh Lithium-ion battery pack that can be fast-charged from 10 to 80 per cent in just over 33 minutes at 150 kW supply. On a regular 50kW supply, 100 percent reaches in 2.5 hours.
The estimated range per charge is around 418 km (WLTP). The battery is protected by a safety cage, which consists of a frame of extruded aluminium. This has been embedded in the middle of the car’s body structure, creating a built-in crumple zone around it.
The XC40 Recharge is also equipped with a new, scalable Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) sensor platform that consists of an array of radars, cameras and ultrasonic sensors.
This platform enables the development and deployment of active safety systems, such as the detection of other road users, automatic braking and collision avoidance. It also allows for gentle driver support from standstill up to highway speeds, through the Pilot Assist function.