The XC40 and C40 Recharge: The EVs outperforming luxury rivals

Volvo Car Australia sold 1474 electric vehicles in 2022, ahead of luxury rivals including Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Genesis, Jaguar, Mini and Porsche.

The XC40 Recharge Pure Electric accounted for 983 cars sold in Australia in 2022, with the C40 Recharge selling 491 since launching last September. The two all-electric models now make up 13.8 per cent of Volvo Car Australia’s total sales, pulling ahead of Volvo Cars’ global average of 10.9 per cent. For December, sales of Volvo Car Australia’s pure electric vehicles actually outsold internal combustion engine models for the first time ever.

In 2023, Volvo Car Australia aims to more than double its EV sales amid soaring demand from drivers aiming to switch to a more sustainable choice. For those considering buying an electric vehicle, here’s a snapshot of Volvo’s current all-electric models.

**Power, range, performance**

Both of the XC40 and C40 Recharge pure electrics offer similar specification and performance choices.

The XC40 Recharge comes in single or dual-motor variants. The single motor option is front wheel drive, has a 69kWh battery and delivers 170kW of power with 330Nm of torque. It goes from 0-100km/h in 7.4 seconds and can travel up to 510km* on a single charge – but that is dependent on weather and battery conditions, traffic and driving style. Real world range will vary as a result.

The dual-motor Twin is all-wheel drive, has a 78kWh battery and delivers 300kW of power with 660Nm of torque. It goes from 0-100km/h in a crisp 4.9 seconds. Driving range is up to 450km* on a single charge, though the same caveats apply around climate and battery condition, traffic and driving style.

The C40 Recharge also comes in single or dual-motor variants. The single motor P6 delivers 170kW of power with 330Nm of torque and goes from 0-100km/h in 7.4 seconds. Its 69kWh battery can enable up to 540km* on a single charge, depending on weather and battery conditions and driving style.

The twin motor P8 packs 300kW of power and 660 Nm of torque and does 0-100km/h in just 4.7 seconds. Driving range via the 78kWh battery is up to 500Km* on a single charge – with the standard caveats around environmental and battery conditions and driving style.

**Impressing the press**

The performance aspect struck a chord with Australia’s motoring press, universally impressed with the C40 Recharge in testing the new model ahead of launch. Sampling a Twin Motor all-wheel-drive variant with a 78kWh battery, reviewers underlined its responsiveness:

“… Both off the line and on the move the levels of urge available everywhere is quite astonishing,” wrote John Mahoney for Carsales. “This makes for a small SUV that is never left wanting in the performance department.”

Wheels magazine’s Dan Gardner agreed: “Rolling acceleration feels almost more aggressive than off-the-mark with a cleverly calibrated throttle that damps big inputs at low speed for smoother driving and lively responsiveness when up and moving.”

As did Damien Read of CarExpert: “As impressive as its standing start is, the real fun comes from its overtaking punch from 50km/h to 100km/h and beyond.

“Merging onto a motorway entices challenges with much bigger, brawnier cars and they lost every time. It gives you supercar-like confidence to merge into the outside lane quickly and silently place a football field between yourself and those that were around you a few seconds earlier.”

The XC40 Recharge Pure Electric has garnered similar plaudits. Per Carsguide’s Tom White:

“The XC40 Recharge is ridiculously powerful for its size class. It’s nearly twice as powerful as the nearest combustion version of this car and packs a Tesla-rattling punch from its dual-motor, all-wheel-drive setup.

“It’s always nice to see something with more power than it needs, especially with all the added weight of its massive 78kWh battery pack.

“For a car with such a quiet demeanour, the straight-line performance is ridiculous … Ultimately, this is a little SUV that has only been improved by electrification from behind the wheel.”

In summary, White adds:

“To me the XC40 Recharge … is a more appealing offering than something like the similarly equipped and priced Mercedes-Benz EQA, with the Recharge feeling particularly coherent for an EV on a combustion platform.”

**Ready to switch? Find out more**

Both the XC40 Recharge Pure Electric and C40 Recharge come with huge safety and design specifications as standard, plus a full range of options.

They also include one of the best infotainment systems on the market, jointly developed with Google and based on the Android operating system, providing consumers with Google apps and services built-in, with a four-year digital services subscription included as standard.

If you’re considering making the switch to zero tailpipe emissions in 2023, get the lowdown on the XC40 Recharge here and the C40 Recharge here.

* Figures according to ADR 81/02 are derived from laboratory testing, which is not carried out on every individual vehicle sold by Volvo. Factors including but not limited to driving style, road and traffic conditions, environmental influences, vehicle condition and accessories fitted, means in the real world the range you experience can differ from that advertised. Advertised figures are meant for comparison purposes.

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