Volvo C40 Recharge launched at Rs 61.25 lakh: All you need to know
The C40 Recharge is Volvo’s second electric vehicle in India. Based on the XC40 Recharge, it gets identical interiors and the exact same powertrain. All of this is, however, wrapped in a slightly sportier package.
Swedish carmaker Volvo unveiled the coupe variant of the XC40 Recharge just a short while ago and the company has now launched the electric SUV in India for the introductory price of Rs 61.25 lakh. Named the C40 Recharge, the new EV gets almost identical styling save for the steeply raked rear windshield and even the same powertrain setup. (Image: Volvo)
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The design | At the front, the C40 is identical to its standard SUV counterpart. It gets the same headlamp design with the Thor’s hammer LED DRLs and a closed-off grille. The pixel LED headlamps are also exclusive to the C40 and no other Volvo in India has it. Over on the side, it gets a set of 19-inch alloys and this is also where the coupe design is most apparent. In profile, the roof slopes downward towards the rear and the rear windshield has been raked steeply to flow seamlessly from the roof to the tail. (Image: Volvo)
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Because of the coupe styling, Volvo has had to redesign the tailgate resulting in sleek looking tail lamps that wrap around the sides a little bit. Viewed from the rear, the C40 also seems to have a wider stance. Additionally, there is a two-part spoiler, too, one which is blacked out and sits on the boot lid and a twin-pod spoiler on the edge of the roof. All of these changes allow for the coupe to adopt a very sporty stance. As for dimensions, the Volvo C40 sits at 4,440 mm, 2,034 mm and 1,591 mm in length, width and height respectively. The wheelbase is measured at 2,702 mm. (Image: Volvo)
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The performance | Now, the C40 Recharge is based on the same CMA platform as the XC40 Recharge, and this means the same powertrain does duty on both EVs. A dual electric motor setup spins both axles churning out 408 hp of combined maximum power and 660 Nm of combined torque. Powered by a 78 kWh battery pack, Volvo claims the C40 Recharge can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds. Top speed has been limited to 180 km/h. (Image: Volvo)
As far as charging the battery goes, the C40 comes with a 150 kW DC fast charging system built into it. This allows the battery to charge from 0 to 100 percent in just 27 minutes. The C40 is capable of a total range of 530 km on a single charge according to the WLTP cycle and 683 km according to ICAT. The increased range, according to Volvo, is due to the car’s low drag design as well as a new generation battery management system. (Image: Volvo)
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The interior | Over on the inside, things are again identical to the XC40 Recharge. The dashboard is a distinctive Volvo design highlighted at the centre with the portrait-oriented 9-inch touchscreen infotainment display. This itself is then flanked by slim, vertically mounted AC vents. The dash also gets wood inlays and the instrument cluster is a 12.3-inch display. The infotainment system is Android-based and comes with built-in Google Maps and Assistant and thanks to an e-sim, several other apps can be downloaded directly from the Play Store. (Image: Volvo)
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Other features include a Harmon Kardon sound system, wireless phone charging, connected car tech, 360-degree camera, dual-zone climate control, heated and cooled front seats with driver’s side memory function. There is also a full suite of advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) for added safety and autonomous driving. (Image: Volvo)
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One thing to note about the C40 Recharge in comparison to its standard counterpart is that due to the sloped roofline, headroom for the rear passengers has been reduced. Boot space, too, has taken a hit from 452 litres in the XC40 to 413 litres in the C40. The front trunk, or frunk, space still measures a solid 31 litres. Additionally, Volvo says that the upholstery has been made from vegan leather in an attempt to eliminate leather from all of their cars by 2025. (Image: Volvo)
The pricing | As for pricing, at Rs 61.25 lakh, the C40 Recharge comes at Rs 4.35 lakh premium over the standard XC40 Recharge. One also has to remember that this is just an introductory price and it is likely to go up at a later date. Even with a slight hike, the Volvo C40 Recharge will go on to compete with the likes of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 at Rs 48.47 lakh and the Kia EV6 priced starting at Rs 60.95 lakh. (Image: Volvo)
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Now, according to Volvo, the XC40 Recharge managed to grab 25 percent of sales in the first half of 2023 and with C40 Recharge now in the picture it will be interesting to see its performance. Official bookings for the C40 Recharge commence today and deliveries are expected to begin sometime next week. (Image: Volvo)
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