Cape Town - The covers have come off, and the South African motoring public has seen its first real-life glimpse of the all-new Volvo C40 Recharge.
At the unveiling of the vehicle in the flesh in Cape Town on Thursday morning, it was revealed that the vehicle was also immediately on sale, starting at R1 285 000, with delivery expected from June this year.
The C40 Recharge marks a huge step forward for the luxury Swedish manufacturer; it’s the first Volvo model to be designed as a pure electric vehicle as well as the first to come with a leather-free interior, instead offering high-quality sustainable upholstery.
@lancethewit10 The unveiling and launch of the @Volvo Cars #C40 full electric, available immediately from R1,285,000 with delivery expected in June. Twin motors kick out the equivalent of 300kW getting you from standstill to 100km/h in 4.7sec. #Volvo #VolvoC40 #electric #EV #motoring #cars #cartok #fyp @IOLNEWS ♬ Way down We Go - KALEO
It’s a leap in the right direction for Volvo, which aims to become an entirely circular company, from a waste and sustainability perspective, within the next couple of years.
The C40 Recharge boasts a range on the WLTP cycle of 444km, a 10% to 80% charge time of around 40 minutes when plugged in to a fast-charger, and a combined output from the twin-motors (one driving each axle) of some 300kW and more than 600 of Newton’s finest metres, launching you to 100km/h from standstill in around 4.7 seconds.
I’m not a huge fan of coupé-SUVs, but the Volvo pulls it off commendably. I’d sooner pick this over a GLE or X4/6 coupé. It’ has a lower roofline than its Volvo siblings, with significant aerodynamics-improving wings and diffusers that decrease drag to increase range by up to 4%.
Inside, it’s… um… unique. There are various interior trims to choose from, of course, but the debut model’s colour-coded carpets and door panel inserts, made from fully recycled materials, will either grab you at first glance or have you shuddering in disgust. Me? I like it. It ties in beautifully with the boldness of the overall design.
The Volvo C40 is giving off bigger, more luxurious vibes than the Honda HR-V or Mazda CX-30, more a high-riding elongated hatchback than coupé, which is a real boon.
It certainly does strike a commanding pose.
And it’s practical too; the boot is a sizeable 489 litres, with that handy 31 litre “frunk” as well (I’m not giving up my crusade to having it called a “froot” instead).
South Africa’s first tranche of 50 models is currently being shipped and should be available for delivery by June 2023.
Volvo is looking to the C40 Recharge to lead its drive to have half its global sales volume comprise fully electric cars by 2025, with the remainder taking the form of hybrids. By 2030, the Swedish luxury firm plans for every new vehicle it sells to be completely electric.
IOL