Volvo unveils the new C40 Recharge as an all-electric model

Volvo has just unveiled the new C40 Recharge, a model that will be exclusively electric-another clear move towards the brand’s plan to become fully electric by 2030.

It is hardly surprising that Volvo, as a Scandinavian marque (even though it is now owned by China’s Geely Group), is among the carmakers with the clearest roadmap for full electrification of its range. In the medium term, that line-up will also be sold only online.

There are no plans to shut down the dealer network (around 2,400 worldwide). Instead, the intention is to integrate aftersales services-maintenance, support, and so on-with online vehicle transactions. The buying process will be streamlined through simpler vehicle configurations and a no-discount approach, following a model long used by major tech brands such as Apple.

Volvo’s diesel engines are on the way out (they should be gone by the middle of this decade). And 2029 is set to be the year when the last models containing an internal-combustion engine (petrol) are built, even if those engines are paired with hybrid drivetrains.

Exclusively electric

Measuring 4.43 m in length, the new C40 Recharge shares the same running gear and propulsion base as the XC40 (the CMA platform). It is set apart mainly by its sloping roofline and coupé-like rear section-an increasingly common formula in premium ranges (Audi Q3 Sportback, BMW X2, among others).

However, it is Volvo’s first 100% electric car designed from the outset to be electric only: “The C40 Recharge shows the future of Volvo and the direction we are heading in,” explains Henrik Green, the Swedish brand’s CTO (Chief Technology Officer), adding that “as well as being fully electric it will be available with a convenient service package and will be quickly available to any customer when they make their purchase online”.

That package will include servicing (less frequent on an electric car), roadside assistance, warranty cover, and home charging options.

XC40 electric technical base

The drivetrain uses a 78 kWh battery and delivers a maximum output of 408 hp and 660 Nm, thanks to two motors producing 204 hp and 330 Nm each. One motor is mounted on each axle and drives its respective wheels, enabling all-wheel drive.

Driving range is up to 420 km. The battery can be recharged on AC at a maximum of 11 kW (taking 7.5 hours for a full charge) or on DC at up to 150 kW (in which case 40 minutes are required to charge from 0 to 80%).

Even with a kerb weight above 2,150 kg, it can still deliver standout acceleration (expected to be similar to the XC40 Recharge, which “launches” from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.9 s). Top speed is limited to 180 km/h (lower than the Polestar 2, which uses the same electric system and reaches 205 km/h).

Gradually, customers will get used to new remote purchasing processes, just as they will also have to accept that naturally leather-trimmed upholstery will no longer be available, replaced by synthetic materials more in tune with the times we are increasingly living in.

Infotainment identical to the Polestar 2

Among the key interior updates, it will feature an Android infotainment system developed by Google, first introduced on the all-electric Polestar 2. The software can be installed at any time via remote over-the-air updates, removing the need to visit dealerships.

The boot has a capacity of 413 litres, as in the XC40 Recharge, plus an additional 21 litres of storage at the front under the bonnet.

When does it arrive?

After the XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge, Volvo will introduce several fully electric models, particularly in the second half of the current decade. By 2025, the Nordic brand’s projections already indicate that half of its sales will be 100% electric vehicles, with the other half made up of plug-in hybrids.

The new C40 Recharge is expected to reach the market in the last quarter of this year, priced slightly above the XC40-meaning a little over €70,000.

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