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Volvo is getting back into the coupe game with its new 2022 C40 Recharge, but it’s not the kind of coupe you were expecting, or maybe not even expecting. The C40 is a compact four-door crossover SUV that is basically a “coupe” version of the existing one. Recharge XC40, with a sloping roof line and some interesting design details. Volvo says it is the brand’s first model to have been designed as an electric vehicle from the ground up, and there will be no gasoline equivalent.
The roofline of the C40 is obviously the biggest differentiator compared to the more traditional SUV look of the XC40, and I think this new model looks great. It’s a continuous curve from the top of the windshield to the edge of the hatch, where there’s an integrated spoiler, and the C40 is substantially three inches shorter than the XC40 in overall height. The rear windows are raised like on the regular XC40, but there actually seems to be more lower glass area. And while there’s roughly two inches less headroom for rear passengers on the C40, it actually offers front passengers more headroom than the XC40 when equipped with a fixed panoramic moonroof, which is standard on the C40.
The 2020 C40 Recharge brings coupe vibes to Volvo’s XC40-based EV platform.
Volvo
The nose of the C40 has a more angular bumper with new fog light housings, a closed vestigial grille with smoother edges and new LED headlights with pixel technology. The sculpting on the sides of the lower body is different from the XC40, although there is still a lot of black plastic coating and there are new wheel designs. My favorite design feature is the LED taillights, which extend horizontally towards the hatch and vertically along the edges of the rear glass in a cool, segmented look.
Volvo says the C40 is its first electric vehicle to have a completely leather-free interior, and it will be available with unique colors and trim options, but otherwise the interior looks pretty much the same as the XC40. It has a minimalist design with a cluster of digital gauges and a large central touchscreen, and don’t worry, the C30 still has that cool felt mat. The C40 will use Volvo’s new Android Automotive-based infotainment system, which is one of our favorites on the market and enables wireless updates. And since the XC40 already has a slightly sloped hatch, the C40’s total cargo volume is only slightly less.
Look at those sweet taillights.
Volvo
The C40 Recharge’s powertrain is identical to that of the XC40 Recharge. There is a 78 kWh battery pack and an electric motor on each axis, with a total output of 402 horsepower and 486 pound-feet of torque. Volvo’s 0-60 mph time of 4.7 seconds is identical to the XC40, as is its 112 mph top speed. The EPA has yet to rate the C40, and Volvo estimates a range of 210 miles; recharge XC40 It’s EPA-rated at 208 miles, and it would make sense for the fancier C40 to score slightly better. The C40 can be charged to 80% in 40 minutes when connected to a DC fast charger.
Volvo says the C40 will be available exclusively to buy online. Customers will receive a “care package” that includes roadside assistance, service and warranty, as well as home charging technology and even insurance, if available (some state laws make this offer problematic). Importantly, this model will continue to be delivered and serviced through Volvo’s existing dealer network. Expect the C40 to be priced higher than the XC40 Recharge, which means a $ 60,000 neighborhood starting point is likely (before any incentives or tax credits), and the model may only be offered in a trim level and engine configuration to reduce complexity and simplify inventory. The C40 will go into production this fall at Volvo’s plant in Ghent, Belgium, alongside its brother XC40 Recharge. The model is expected to go on sale in the United States later this year.
The C40 is part of Volvo’s drive to be fully electric by 2030, with the goal of having half of its cars be electric vehicles by 2025 and the other half hybrids. Volvo says the C40 will help triple production in the Belgium plant By 2022, by which time 60% of the factory’s output will be electric vehicles. A new Volvo EV will debut every year in 2025, and the next after the C40 will be launched the next-generation XC90 SUV.
Volvo’s C40 Recharge is a sleek EV crossover with a coupe roofline
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