All C40 Recharge models come with two electric motors—one mounted in the front and one in the rear—which can deliver up to 402-hp; all-wheel drive is standard.
This electric suv is also tied for quickest volvo we’ve ever tested launching to 60 miles per hour in 4.2 seconds the 2022 volvo c40 recharge electric suv vaulted itself into a tie for the title of quickest volvo ever and this fastback crossover ev’s acceleration never ceases to amuse it reacts instantly to pressure on the go pedal angling its grilleless front and
Slightly skyward as the motors hum happily along but the c40 recharge isn’t the only electric suv with sports car rivaling speed the tesla model y outperforms it in each of our testing criteria and in criteria that matter greatly to everyday living so why would the c40 recharge be worth consideration in an expanding field of electric luxury suvs simple because
It’s cool volvo’s second electric suv sort of what is the c40 anyway begin with the volvo xc40 which went on sale in the united states for 2019 and quickly climbed to the top of our sub-compact luxury suv rankings for 2021 volvo revealed the xc40 recharge a battery-powered version of the xc40 and the first of many all-electric vehicles due from the swedish
Brand then following fashionable trends volvo reworked its conventional suv to wear a sleek fastback roofline the result is the c40 recharge fundamentally the c40 recharge and xc40 recharge are the same machine both are based on volvo’s cma architecture and feature a battery pack with 75 kilowatt hours of usable capacity beneath the floor in each a dual motor
Awd powertrain spins out an impressive 402 horsepower and 487 pounds to foot of torque although both recharge at a maximum of 150 kilowatts the c40 eeks out a slight range advantage scoring 226 miles instead of 223 in epa certification the xc40 recharge has a lower starting price at 52 795 but equipping it in high-end ultimate trim the only trim offered on the c40
For 2022 brings it to within 600 of the c-40 both are currently eligible for 7500 in federal tax incentives think of it this way the c-40 recharges to the xc40 recharge what the bmw x4 is to the x3 or the audi e-tron sportback is to the e-tron however the xc40 can be had with either gasoline or electric power the c40 recharge is exclusively an f if you want its
Good looks you have to go electric statement and sale making style indeed design is a primary selling point for the c40 and starting with the xc40 could only mean great things for its bogus adaptation the sleek greenhouse contrasts against chunky lower body panels all hunkered down on aero emphasizing 20-inch wheels its unique headlights and tail lights perform
An led animation whenever it’s locked or unlocked aerodynamic elements at the top and bottom of that raked rear glass add a touch of sportiness aesthetic allure persists inside the c40 which alters the xc40s attractive and functional cabin with a few key enhancements that’s not leather on the steering wheel or suede on the seats the c40s materials are entirely
Animal free but they look and feel convincingly upscale our test car’s cosmopolitan blue carpeting perfectly matched its exterior paint an especially stylish detail is the trim panels which are formed to resemble the topography of sweden’s abisco national park at night backlighting shines through them at varied brightnesses creating an ambience quite unlike any
Other cars as an artistic exercise the c40 succeeds standing out with its sculptural stance and delightful flourishes even better it’s really fun to drive a very unassuming dragster as stated above the c40 is rapid in acceleration testing it’s essentially even with xc40 recharge hitting 60 miles per hour in 4.2 seconds 100 miles per hour in 10.6 seconds and the
Quarter mile in 12.8 seconds at 109.0 miles per hour it whooshes from 45 to 65 miles per hour in just 1.9 seconds these results are shockingly similar to certain v8 powered muscle cars out and about the c40s driver has a sensation of imperious power that belies the suv style centric image its accelerator pedal is ultra precise letting you zip ahead instantly with
Just a few millimeters of foot movement some evs dampen accelerator response for smoothness but the c40 seemingly doesn’t giving it an extremely linear almost raw feel don’t take this to mean that it’s difficult to drive the c40 normally though any challenge to that lies with your self-discipline not the pedal’s programming accelerator is perhaps a misnomer for
The right side pedal as it so effectively controls deceleration too when one pedal drive mode is engaged you can subtract speed with exactitude by relaxing your ankle doing so activates the motor’s regenerative braking effect converting kinetic energy into deceleration while sending charge back to the battery with how intuitive it becomes and that it can bring
The c40 to a complete stop pushing the brake pedal becomes a rarity if you do you’ll find it firm and strong even so we recorded a 125 foot stop from 60 miles per hour longer than the 118 foot distance posted by the xc40 recharge given that both volvo’s roll on identical f-spec pirelli tires high-track temperatures the test day were a likely culprit in those and
Other performance discrepancies.the c40 averaged 0.78 grams on the skid pad while the xc40 recharge held on to 0.84 grams both went around the figure 8 and 26.3 seconds at 0.72 and 0.70 grams average respectively on the road the c40s handling is dialed more towards simplicity than involvement its steering is light and a bit dull despite suspension tuning on the
Firmer side it’s generally comfortable and retains a solid planted feel aided by its low heavy battery pack here’s the thing though the tesla model y in many ways still the fsuv benchmark outperforms the c40 across the board however it’s configured it’s quicker to 60 stops shorter and holds the road better comparing their battery capabilities further dims the
Value of the volvo looks only go so far even if you have the ability to charge at home the c40s 226 mile range rating isn’t competitive when you consider the model why long range can cover more than 100 additional miles its 150 kilowatt charge rate is slow too now that rivals like the genesis gv60 can absorb electrons at 235 kilowatts these factors shouldn’t deter
You entirely but carefully consider how you’ll use this f last year volvo was able to boost the xc40 recharges range from 208 miles to 223 using only a software update so it’s possible that eventually even more miles could be coded in hopefully other over-the-air updates will address the software bugs we experienced on our c40 test car at different times a tire
Pressure warning wouldn’t reset the backup camera wouldn’t come on and only the rear doors would unlock there’s also the matter of its google designed infotainment which has useful functionality and voice recognition capabilities but doesn’t react as quickly as other automakers systems or your smartphone the c40s hardware that is to say its very shape creates
Compromises too maximum cargo capacity is 49.0 cubic feet down from the xc40 recharges 57.5 cubic foot measurement visibility through the raked rear window is more problematic in that it’s terrible we’re surprised that a company is safety focused as volvo would sign off on letting its customers drive with such a limited view of what’s behind the c40 is a perfect
Candidate for a digital rear-view mirror at least the c40 standard blind spot monitoring works well as do its other driver assist systems 2. cool to care finite differences in specs or our test data aren’t what’ll sell a person on the c40 the reason to choose this f over any other ones that go farther carry more or perform better is because of the experience it
Delivers unlike some of its competitors c40 is not a prosaic zero emissions mobility appliance with its great looks funky interior and frisky road manners there’s no getting bored of the c40 this small electric suv is too cool for that we are interested in your comments don’t forget to subscribe and like the video for more videos thanks for watching
Transcribed from video
2022 Volvo C40 Recharge First Test: Way Cooler Than a Tesla Model Y By ElectroCars