What is it?

It’s an SUV. It’s electric. And it’s a Volvo. The C40 Recharge has made its India debut as the sportier and funky-looking version of the boxy XC40 Recharge. It’s also the second EV by Volvo for the Indian market and will be available to book from August this year. We have seen the C40 in person and here’s a detailed look at it.

How is it on the outside?

Volvo has been able to pull the coupe SUV look quite smartly with the C40 Recharge, along with a tastefully designed rear profile as well. The posterior gets two spoilers. While the first one is body-coloured and mounted on the roof, the second one is done in gloss black and sticks out from the tailgate. In typical Volvo fashion, the LED tail lamps are vertically placed with this SUV and they taper into the centre of the back door. The reverse light has been repositioned and we also liked the pixel effect that merges into the roof.

This being an EV, the face of the C40 Recharge is closed-off and is flanked by the signature Thor LED headlamps that are slimmer than the ones on the XC40 Recharge. Then, the minuscule fog lamps are integrated into the gloss black housing and the plastic cladding around the front bumpers, wheel arches, and doors lends it a robust look.

Towards the side, except for the sloping roofline, it gets a raked windscreen and a redesigned rear quarter glass. The C40 rides on 19-inch dual-tone alloy wheels. In terms of space, along with the reduced 413 litres of rear boot space, it also gets a frunk which is good to hold 31 litres of luggage. There are six exterior colours that the C40 will be offered with – Fjord Blue, Sage Green, Fusion Red, Cloud Blue, Onyx Black, and Crystal White Pearl.

How is it on the inside?

Since the C40 is based on the XC40 Recharge, it shares the overall cabin and dashboard layout with it. It features a minimalist interior layout with clean lines and a clutter-free dashboard. What’s different here from the XC40’s cabin is the backlit decor on the centre dashboard. Furthermore, Volvo has opted to use recycled and eco-friendly materials for seat upholstery. And this interior can be had in Charcoal or Fjord themes.

Not to mention, we also spotted some clever storage spaces in the cabin. These include a removable dustbin that can be tucked away in the centre console, a foldable hook that pops out from the glove box, and a small cavity near the rear seats to stow away the knick-knacks.

What’s on the feature list?

The C40 Recharge not only looks cool but also has a feature-rich and practical cabin. Sitting at the centre of the dashboard is a nine-inch vertical touchscreen infotainment system that Volvo has co-developed with Google. As a result, customers have in-built Google apps such as Google Maps, Google Assistant, and Play Store. The C40 also gets a fully digital driver’s display along with a wireless charging pad, an air purifier, and a fixed panoramic sunroof.

The feature list doesn’t end here. This electric SUV is equipped with power adjustment for the driver seat, dual-zone climate control, a Harman Kardon sound system, and a 360-degree camera. Like most modern Volvos, this one too is armed with a myriad of ADAS features. These include adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree camera, a blind-spot monitor, and rear cross-traffic alert with auto brake function.

What is it powered by?

While the global-spec C40 Recharge is offered in three variants, the India-spec is offered in a single all-wheel-drive (AWD) trim. It shares the CMA platform with the XC40 Recharge and sources its power from a 78kWh battery pack. The battery powers the dual electric motor setup (one on each axle) which has a combined output of 402bhp and 660Nm of peak torque.

The C40 Recharge has not been ARAI tested yet, however, it has a claimed WLTP cycle of 530 km. This driving range is significantly higher than XC40’s claim of 418km. Besides this, the C40 also looks quick on paper with a zero to 100kmph sprint time of 4.7 seconds. The C40 supports fast charging and a 150kW fast charger can juice up the battery pack from 10 per cent to 80 per cent in just 27 minutes.

What about pricing and competition?

The C40 Recharge will be positioned above the outgoing XC40 Recharge and will be assembled locally in India. Presently, the XC40 Recharge has a price tag of Rs. 56.90 lakh and the C40 is likely to demand a premium of Rs. 1 to Rs. 2 lakh over it. It will compete against other electric SUVs in the segment, such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6.

Interestingly, the C40 Recharge is the only EV in the segment with the unique body style. The bookings for the C40 Recharge will commence in August followed by customer deliveries in September 2023.