The Volvo C40 Recharge is the latest full-electric car to come from the famed Swedish manufacturer, and it’s here to show the world that we’ve come a long way from the squared-off digs of Volvos of old. There are many reasons to consider a new C40 – here are the top three.
EV Power
Power for the C40 comes courtesy of two electric motors – one mounted up front, one in the rear – which combine to provide AWD as well as over 400 horsepower and 486 pound-feet of torque. Since there is no traditional transmission, power delivery is direct and instantaneous. You’ll have no problem beating a great many bonafide sports cars and sports sedans off the line.
Those looks!
Of course, the driver of said sports car or sedan probably wouldn’t be too surprised if they were beaten by the C40 at the red light Grand Prix because its looks suggest that there’s more going on than meets the eye. Sure; its tall-ish ride height and cabin suggests crossover or crossover coupe, but its steeply-raked rear window, aggressive wheel choices and signature head- and taillamps leave somewhat less to the imagination. The real highlight, however, is the C40’s take on the traditional Volvo vertical taillamp. They’re still somewhat vertical here, but since the rear window angle is so aggressive, they’ve had to follow suit.
Interior food for thought
Those seats might look like leather, and those carpets may look like they’ve been topped with wool straight off the sheep, but there’s more to it. The C40 Recharge gets a completely leather-free interior, and those carpets? Well, they’re actually crafted from partially recycled materials. It’s all in the name of a more sustainable design practice and it does well to compliment the other naturalist twists surrounding the C40 Recharge, such as one of the colours being named “Fjord Blue” and the various interior panel inserts that are styles to look like topographical maps.