[Brydo]

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Volvo’s first electric car has arrived, bringing a new Recharge sub-brand for EVs and PHEVs with it
This is the Volvo XC40 Recharge, the Swedish firm’s first fully electric car. By 2025 Volvo is aiming to make all-electric vehicles account for 50 per cent of all sales.

The electric XC40 also heralds the arrival of a new Volvo sub-brand, called Recharge, under which all chargeable models – that means plug-in hybrid as well as fully electric vehicles – will now sit. Five additional electric models will join the XC40 Recharge over the next five years.

The electric XC40 completes the small SUV’s lineup, joining the existing petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid models in the range. It’s due to go on sale early next year ahead of first customer deliveries towards the end of 2020.

Based on Volvo’s Common Modular Architecture (CMA), like all other XC40 variants, the electric version is powered by a 78kWh battery located beneath the car’s floor. It drives two electric motors, one on each axle, to deliver four-wheel drive. Total power output is claimed at 402bhp and 660Nm of torque, which gives a 0-62mph time of 4.9 seconds, says Volvo.

Volvo also claims the XC40 Recharge can cover up to 248 miles on a full battery. Topping up from an 11kw wallbox unit owners are likely to have at home will top up the battery from flat in a little under eight hours. Using a 150kw rapid charger, only likely to be found at motorway service stations, will give a 0-80 per cent charge in 40 minutes.

Visually, the XC40 Recharge is marked out by a blanked off front grille and ‘Recharge’ branding embossed into the car’s blacked-out c-pilar.

Inside, the cabin design is carried over from the rest of the XC40 range but a new infotainment system, powered by Google’s Android operating system, makes an appearance for the first time.

Volvo is also offering financial incentives to customers to help encourage them into buying a model from the Recharge lineup. However, Volvo has not yet announced what these incentives will be. The firm also announced that it is tripling production capacity for its electric and plug-in hybrid models to help meet anticipated demand.

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[Brydo]

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Volvo will offer buyers of its plug-in hybrid models a year’s worth of free electricity to promote them to use their cars as efficiently as possible.

The deal will apply to all of the firm’s PHEV models – which will now carry the new Recharge badge for electrified machines – sold from today onwards in most markets, including the UK.

The cars will record the total level of charge put into it over the course of a year, with Volvo then giving the customer a rebate based on the average price of electricity.

Björn Annwall, Volvo’s commercial boss, said the scheme was designed to showcase that plug-in hybrids can be a sustainable stepping stone or alternative to full electric cars, and to fight the belief that many are bought for tax incentives and rarely plugged in to charge.

“Plug-in hybrids can be very efficient if they are used in the right way,” said Annwall. “But if you just buy them for tax reasons and leave the cables in the boot it’s just a waste.

“We wanted to make consumers more aware of the benefits, and this was something we could do to help all plug-in hybrid buyers. We think incentives can help, because they can put a spotlight on efficient energy usage.

“The first year with a new car is when you set your habits with it, so if we put incentives then it will really make people think about how they use their cars, and show how they can change.”

While Volvo’s plug-in hybrid models have previously carried Twin Engine branding, that will be phased out in favour of the new Recharge label, which will also be used for full-electric cars such as the new XC40 Recharge.

Volvo has introduced an electrified version of every model in its range, and is aiming for plug-in hybrid cars to account for 20% of its sales next year. This is a key part of a major push towards electrification and reducing its average carbon emissions. The firm is aiming to be carbon neutral by 2040.

[Kev]

The price cap should be removed for EV.

[Brydo]

Just found out it is likely to cost around £50,000, so maybe just ignore the above articles.

[Author]

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