It wasn’t too long ago that power and torque figures of 300kW and 660Nm were the preserve of exotic sports cars.
Now you’ll find this swift and silent urge in Volvo’s new electric family car, the C40 Recharge, the brand’s first electric-only model and which was recently launched in SA as the C40 Ultimate.
It is powered by two motors — one at each axle to make it an all-wheel drive car — and is priced at R1.285m which includes a home-charging wall box and a public-charging cable.
We didn’t use public fast chargers with the C40 as there weren’t any on our driving routes. Instead we juiced up the C40 at home, where it took about eight hours to add 30% to the battery on a 230V wall socket. The test car’s computer showed a range of 340km when fully charged — well less than the 440km claimed by Volvo but still sufficient to cover one week’s commuting if your daily travels are under 70km.
The Volvo’s practical range is suitable for longer trips but, like all electric cars, the C40 has a better range in urban driving than on the open road as it regenerates more battery power in stop-start driving. The car has a strong braking effect when you lift off the throttle and I got used to driving it with hardly touching the brake. The Volvo has a mode that lets it freewheel when you lift off the throttle, making it feel more like a regular car, but at a cost to driving range.
While the range isn’t quite what is promised, it is more than adequate for anything except long-distance holiday travel. Unfortunately, Volvo SA no longer offers EV owners a petrol car for two weeks a year.
Still, we have nothing but praise for the C40’s power delivery. It accelerates fast and seamlessly, the best feature being its instant torque. It’s an impressively lively drive, with a 4.7 second 0-100km/h time that matches the quickest petrol-powered hot hatches.
It’s a fast but forgiving car, with all-wheel drive safely harnessing all the instant thrust. The C40 doesn’t feel intimidating despite the sportscar-like power. Hard throttle thrusts don’t cause wheelspin or torque steer, and the car has impressive traction and handling. With its instant power and quick direction changes, the C40 feels a lot more sprightly than its 2.1 tonnes suggest.
With fully keyless operation, the C40 lacks a start button, which takes some getting used to; you get into the car, select a gear and off you go.
The C40 is a crossover with an elevated 171mm ground clearance, but the low-profile 20-inch tyres aren’t suited to rough roads or gravel and they contribute to making the ride on the firm side.
To go with its planet-friendly raison d’être, the C40 Recharge has a leather-free interior, instead using suede-like “sustainable” upholstery. As its name suggests, the Ultimate trim level means the C40 Recharge comes with a high level of standard mod cons, including electrically adjustable front seats, front- and rear-seat heating, a heated steering wheel, wireless smartphone charging and air-purifying, two-zone air conditioning.
A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system are part of the deal, as is a comprehensive suite of driver-supporting safety features that provide digital eyes on potential road hazards.
The C40 also has a tinted panoramic sunroof, but no screen to block out the sun. A more serious problem is the heavy tinting on the side windows which seriously hampered visibility when driving at night and in undercover parking.
The cabin is Volvo’s typically modern, minimalist set-up, pepped up by playful, blue-coloured trimmings.
The nine-inch touchscreen infotainment system features built-in Google apps and services, including where to find the nearest charging station. It works with a built-in modem, which wasn’t working in the test car as it was out of data.
The cabin is very roomy, making the C40 a practical family hauler under its attractive coupé-like roofline. The boot is a large 489l, expanding to a cavernous 1,205l, helped by there being no spare wheel.
I enjoyed driving the Fjord Blue Volvo C40 Recharge. Lofty planet-saving ideals are curtailed by our power grid still relying heavily on coal, and EVs remain a very niche prospect given their prices and limited practicality.
But the strong and seamless power is quite addictive and, Eskom’s problems aside, the car has a useful real-world range if you don’t use it for holidays. For its sportscar-like acceleration it offers good value for money.
Tech Specs
POWER TRAIN
Type: Dual electric motors
Capacity: 78kWh
Power: 300kW
Torque: 660Nm
TRANSMISSION
Type: One-speed auto
DRIVETRAIN
Type: All-wheel drive
PERFORMANCE
Top speed: 180km/h
0-100km/h: 4.7 seconds (claimed)
Range: 444km (claimed); 340km (as tested)
STANDARD FEATURES
Home charging wallbox, ABS brakes, stability control, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping aid, rear cross-traffic alert, seven airbags, keyless entry, powered tailgate, panoramic sunroof, 360-degree parking camera, Harman Kardon premium sound, electrically adjustable front seats, wireless phone charging, heated front and rear seats, heated steering wheel, Google infotainment system, auto on/off headlights, rain-sensing wipers, air conditioning, tyre pressure sensor, electric windows, adaptive cruise control, driving modes
COST
Warranty: Five years/100,000km vehicle; Eight years/160,000km battery
Maintenance plan: Five years/100,000km
Price: R1.324m
Lease*: R29,380 a month
* at 11.75% interest over 60 months; no deposit
Volvo C40 Recharge Twin Motor Ultimate
WE LIKE: Performance, running costs, decent range
WE DISLIKE: Price, not suitable for long trips, overly tinted side windows
VERDICT: Swift, silent but compromised
MOTOR NEWS star rating
Design ****
Performance *****
Economy *****
Ride ***
Handling *****
Safety *****
Value For Money ***
Overall ****
COMPETITION
BMW iX1 xDrive30 xLine, 230kW/494Nm — R1,205,000
BMW iX3 M Sport, 210kW/400Nm — R1,361,000
Mercedes-Benz EQB 350 4Matic Progressive, 215kW/520Nm — R1,381,250
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