In Pics: Volvo unveils C40 Recharge EV SUV for India; to be launched in August
Volvo has brought its coupe-styled EV, the C40 Recharge, to India. Based on the XC40 already on sale, the C40 gets slightly different styling, the same powertrain, but better range.
Just about a year ago, Volvo launched the XC40 Recharge in India priced at Rs 11.40 lakh. The Swedish manufacturer has now brought a new variant of this SUV. Christened the C40 Recharge, it is the coupe version of the XC40 and the launch is scheduled for a later date. Of course, there are a lot of similarities between the two cars, but there are differences as well. (Image: Avishek Banerjee/Moneycontrol)
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Starting with design, the new C40 looks identical to the XC40 at least up to the A-pillars. It sports the same front fascia with the closed-off grille, sharp Thor’s Hammer headlamp units and the three-piece bumper flanked by fog lamps. Over on the side, however, is where the differences become more noticeable. It does get a similar contouring along its lower body and the same set of 19-inch alloys as its standard counterpart, but the roof presents a new design cue. (Image: Avishek Banerjee/Moneycontrol)
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The C40 is coupe-styled and that means the roof has been designed to slope downwards into the rear, flowing seamlessly into the rear windscreen. At the back, the changes are obvious too. The S-shaped tail lamps are all new and fit into the curvier rear end. There are two spoilers now as well, one on either side of the windscreen. All of this gives the C40 Recharge a sportier look when compared side-by-side with the XC40. (Image: Avishek Banerjee/Moneycontrol)
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In terms of powertrain, the C40 gets the same equipment as the XC40. A 78 kWh battery pack powers a dual-motor setup that produces 408 PS of maximum power and 660 Nm of peak torque. The C40, however, gets better aerodynamics than the XC and this directly results in a better WLTP-claimed mileage of 530 km. For context, the XC40 Recharge can go only 418 km on a single charge. Speaking of charging, the EV supports 150 kW DC fast charging allowing 80 percent charge in just 27 minutes. (Image: Volvo)
Moving on to the interiors, you won’t find many differences from the XC40. You get the same 9-inch portrait-style touchscreen infotainment system. One should note that this system is built on Android OS and come with Google Maps and Google Assistant built-in. At both ends of the dash, you see the same vertical-style aircon vents, and the steering wheel is identical to the XC40 as well. The only difference between the two cabins would be the drop in headroom for the rear passengers due to the sloping roof. (Image: Volvo)
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Other features on the C40 Recharge include a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display, dual-zone climate control, heated and cooled front seats, a panoramic sunroof and a 360-degree camera. As part of its safety kit, the C40 even gets ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) complete with blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist and parking assistant. (Image: Volvo)
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As far as pricing goes, Volvo hasn’t given us an idea of what to expect. However, we do know that sales for the C40 Recharge are expected to begin in August and the company has said that bookings will begin when the prices are announced. We also know that the SUV will be locally assembled as a CKD (completely knocked-down) unit just like the XC40. And finally, where competition is concerned, the C40 Recharge will go up against the likes of the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 and even the BMW i4. (Image: Twitter)
Stanford Masters Journalist who writes on automobiles
