Volvo has announced that order books are now open for the firm’s first electric car – the XC40 Recharge P8.
Unveiled last year, this new EV helped Volvo to launch its ‘Recharge’ sub brand for its hybrids and EVs, with all new PHEVs already badged this way.
Joining petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid powertrains in the XC40 line-up, this new model is the flagship in this compact SUV’s range, as well as the most powerful.
The XC40 Recharge Pure Electric P8 (as is its full name) utilises a large 78kWh battery, which allows for a claimed 249 miles of range, though rapid charging capability allows the battery to be topped up to 80 per cent in 40 minutes. A powerful electric motor produces 403bhp – allowing for a 0-60mph time of just 4.7 seconds.
While still very much an XC40 in terms of design, the electric model features revised styling cues – including a closed-off front grille. The lack of an engine also frees up space under the bonnet, where there is an extra 30 litres of storage space. Elsewhere in the cabin there is a greater use of recycled materials, with the door linings and carpets being made from 97 per cent recycled plastic bottles.
The new electric XC40 also uses a different infotainment system to other versions, as the EV features an Android-based unit, which allows for various Google technologies to be introduced – such as Google Maps and Google Assistant voice recognition system.
To begin with, it’s just available in a single R-Design trim level, with prices starting from £53,155. Order books are now open, with first deliveries set to arrive early next year.
Volvo has one of the most ambitious electrified offensives of any manufacturer. The Swedish firm already has a plug-in hybrid version of every car it sells, while models like the S90 are now hybrid-only. By 2025, it wants 50 per cent of sales to be electric.
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