On Test: The Vovlo C40 Twin Recharge.

It’s all electric and very quiet indeed. It’s a niche SUV with coupe styling that makes it look very alluring. Is this perhaps the shape of things to come? No engine and no leather. Talk about keeping the environment safe.  

 

Power

The Volvo C40 Recharge is powered by 2 electric motors, one over each axle, and supplemented with a 78 kWh lithium-ion battery pack that offers around 360 km on a single charge. Charging can take anything from 30 minutes to an hour and a half, depending on the battery level when charging starts. Home charging can take up to 8 hours, also dependant on the battery level. The C40 Recharge offers outputs of 300 kW and 660 Nm and is capable of accelerating from zero to 100 kmph in 4.6 seconds.

 

No start/ stop button

It’s the first vehicle that I know of not to have a start/ stop button. This takes a little getting used to.

The first thing one does is to slide the key into the ignition to crank up the motor. Even this is now fast becoming extinct. Usually one finds a start/ stop button to get going. But not so in the Volvo C40 Recharge. Once you are strapped in, select the gear and off you go. Simple and easy. The acceleration is instant and quick. You just feel that power surge. And once you on the national roads, you feel the ultra-smooth ride with zero tailpipe emissions.

 

Comfortable seating

All five occupants will appreciate the comfort of an ergonomically designed seat. The easily adjustable front seats make it easy to find the perfect seating position. Further enhancing the versatility of your Volvo, the rear seat is easy to fold individually into the load area floor so you can transport passengers and/or cargo without compromising either comfort or safety.

 

Plenty of boot space

Boot space is around 404 litres but increase this to 1 205 litres by folding down the rear seats for optimal luggage capacity – and with a flat load floor and no lip to lift items over, larger objects are easier to load and unload. A foldable floor acts as a handy divider to hold shopping bags secure as well as enabling hidden, lockable underfloor storage. 

 

Front load compartment

This convenient front load compartment provides smart extra storage in your pure electric Volvo Recharge. It's the perfect space to keep your charging cables easily accessible and well protected from dirt, dust and moisture. It also frees up valuable space from the rear load compartment. The front load compartment has two sections: an upper section for items such as charging cables or washer fluid bottles, and a lower section dedicated to storage of a puncture repair kit. The two sections are divided by an easily removable load floor.

 

Harman Kardon

The C40 Recharge comes standard with Harman Kardon Premium Sound. This means 13 speakers, 12 channels with a max output of 600 Watts. That’s very powerful for you to enjoy your favourite genre of music whilst cruising to your destination.

 

Infotainment and driver displays

Driver information that helps keep you in control is shown in the driver display while the centre display is a hub for connectivity, Google services, climate control, entertainment and car settings.

The new generation 12-inch driver information display shows all the essential driver information that’s needed to keep you constantly updated. It's designed to give you intuitive control and can easily be tailored to your needs and the current driving situation.

9-inch centre display

The large centre display with touch screen allows you to intuitively control the functions of your Volvo – even with your gloves on. It gives you instant access to built-in Google apps and services, including the Google Assistant, Google Maps and Google Play store. On the display’s lower section, you have instant access to commonly used features such as park assist camera views and in-car apps. The display’s portrait format facilitates your overview when navigating. And if needed, you can easily rearrange most of the touch screen buttons to suit your preferences. 

 

360° parking view

With four cameras providing a 360° view and flank sensors increasing awareness of objects at the side of the car, our system can help you park confidently even in confined spaces.

Verdict

This is a winner from Volvo. No engine and no leather are the two biggest points. Smooth, silent and safe. Effortless driving and power. All the interior space you will ever need in this SUV. Instrumentation is clutter free and easy to operate. Work or play, the C40 is ready, willing and able. Volvo aims to be an all-electric brand by 2030 and by 2025 it’s expected that more than half of the firm’s worldwide sales will be attributed to electric vehicles.

 

Price R1 324 000