Volvo unveils its first fully electric car XC40 Recharge

Staying true to its promise of launching one electric car a year for the next five years, Volvo has unveiled the XC40 Recharge, its sub-compact SUV.

In terms of looks, the Recharge is identical to the standard XC40 save for the grille that has been covered up with a body coloured panel. Of course, with electric cars there is no requirement for a grille as there is no radiator. The charging port has also been fitted in the same place as the fuel filler cap on the standard car. To better differentiate the car, there are Recharge badges placed all around.

The Recharge is also based on the same Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) platform as the standard XC40 and gets roughly the same dimensions. The ground clearance however is lower at 175 mm compared to 211 mm thanks to the battery placement.

The new SUV will run on two motors, one on each axle, together churning out 408 PS of power and 660 Nm of torque. The battery is a 78 kWh pack and allows for up to 400 km on a full charge. 80 percent capacity can be achieved in a matter of 40 minutes with a fast charging system.

On the inside, too, things stay largely the same. However, Volvo has replaced its primarily in-house developed, Sensus Connect infotainment system with a new one that is powered by Android. The car will also debut Volvo On Call, the company's suite of connected car technology.

Additionally, Volvo says they will provide free electricity for a year to owners of the XC40 Recharge internationally. It is expected that the Volvo XC40 will be officially launched internationally late next year as a 2021 model.