Detailed review of the Volvo C40 Recharge 2022: the electric flat car with a stylish twist

Volvo has built its reputation on traditional Swedish values ​​of combining safety and refined design. As the Scandinavian company eventually moved away from the stocky silhouettes of its cars in the late twentieth century, subtle expressions of character emerged from its traditional, restrained lineup. Looking at its new 2022 Volvo C40 Recharge, the brand has never deviated from much of its tried-and-true formulas, but has developed a rigorous sense of taste that sets it apart from its more adventurous counterparts.

Volvo is showing us a lineup of electric cars it has promised by 2030, with a plethora of electric vehicles coming soon in quick succession, and Volvo seems determined to evolve its own distinct design language to compete in this brave new battery-powered world . The first step towards that goal was the 2022 Volvo C40 Recharge Twin Ultimate, which costs $58,750.

Volvo offered a purely electric version of an existing model from last year, called the Volvo C40 Recharge 2022, but the C40 is the Swedish manufacturer’s first product without a combustion engine equivalent.

Coupe feel, with SUV roots

“This is the first Volvo car that started as a sketch,” says Jonas Angstrom , Volvo’s Head of Strategy and Business of the Volvo C40 Recharge, with the new models being typically designed with mechanical design, not ours. The Volvo C40 Recharge’s innovative design is built on top of the company’s common CMA (Compact Architecture) platform, which also supports the Volvo C40 Recharge.

The C40 also has a 78 kWh battery pack (of which 75 kWh is usable) and is powered by all-wheel drive on all four wheels via a pair of motors, hence the nickname “Twin Ultimate”.

The car’s two engines produce 402 horsepower and 487 pound-feet of torque, which is good enough that it accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, which means it approaches 100 km / h in less than 5 seconds, which is five seconds faster than the version Old XC40. The Volvo C40 Recharge comes with a host of improved programmes, better thermal efficiency (“conditioning”), with a lowered roofline that tapers to the rear to improve aerodynamics, resulting in a drag coefficient of 0.32.

While the XC40’s SUV design makes it look more practical , the Volvo C40 Recharge is just as safe from vulnerability as some of the newer types of small crossovers. Thanks to its characterful design, which retains its relatively compact shape, it’s not exactly one of the coolest competitors in its weight class (eg: the Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron).

But it certainly exudes character, offering a progressively more engaging visual style inherited from the discreet XC40. Despite its sleeker looks and sleeker design, the Volvo C40 Recharge doesn’t hold back as much cargo or passenger space as its sister XC40, losing just 2.6 inches of rear headroom and about three cubic feet of cargo space.

The interior of the Volvo C40 Recharge

The main differences in the Volvo C40 Recharge’s interior dimensions are rear headroom (which sacrifices 2.6 inches of headroom) and three feet of cargo volume with the rear seat upright (between 1.4 and 3.1 cubic feet, which is less, depending on the standard SAE used for measurement). However, the rear seats are by no means cramped, providing ample space for an average sized adult to feel comfortable.

One feature that helps with this is the standard panoramic sunroof, which brings an airy feel into the cabin, although the lack of a blackout hood might bother those who live in sunny climates despite its infrared-blocking paint.

The Volvo C40 Recharge’s interior material specs are generally solid, although the top of the dashboard surfaces are disappointingly loose. What’s new about our car is a new feature that depicts a topographic interpretation of Sweden’s Abisko National Park reflected in the door panels and passenger side dashboard.

At night, gentle backlighting casts a shade of color on the interior’s abstract shapes, adding a touch of interest to the minimalist cabin. The front and center are covered by a 9-inch touch screen that uses the Android platform and features Google Maps. Although the system is not compatible with Apple CarPlay, Volvo promised to review and solve the problem on the production line.

The 9-inch screen behaves responsively enough, although further additions would be a welcome addition, and the screen scrolls through menus of information from different categories (media, maps, settings, etc.)

I noticed when I checked into the cabin that the proportions are reasonable, although the upper dashboard gives you a sense of touches of plastic materials to some extent. The topographical decorative elements appear gray in daylight, but are backlit at night.

One development worth noting: Volvo recently decreed that none of its electric vehicles use any animal skins in the interior, and the cabin included a significant amount of recycled materials in the C40. Among them, the bright “strait blue” accents on the doors and carpet.

If leather aficionados are shedding tears for the lives of precious cows, they can rest assured – at least judging by our impressions of the Volvo C40 Recharge booster seats – that they didn’t use genuine leather but were compatible, and used a Microtech/nubuck fabric that didn’t feel cramped. or waiver. It adds to the cabin a distinct feeling,

And your sense of distinction is heightened by the Harman Kardon premium audio system with its loud sound, knowing that both the front and rear seats are heated, it is also equipped with wireless phone charging, and a 360-degree parking camera. In fact, Volvo left you with only one choice: metallic paint and colours.

The performance and drive of the Volvo C40 Recharge

Behind the wheel, drivers in the Volvo C40 Recharge face a vertically oriented 9-inch digital instrument panel and touchscreen. Please do not look for the start button because there is no button. Just give the car a moment to start itself, pull the gearshift to engage the driving, and drive away.

Switching to single pedal mode requires entry into the settings menu displayed on the touchscreen, and once selected, all operations can be performed via the accelerator, except for using the left pedal. There is also an item in the menu for the steering feature, which increases the illumination although the standard light feel provides an accurate and good enough response to see well.

Standard 20-inch wheels give the Volvo C40 Recharge a solid, chunky stance, along with a raised profile that allows for a solid view of the road ahead.

The Volvo C40 Recharge’s launch was smooth and powerful, and touched by the smoothness typical of an electric car, it gives you swipes as you do a few stitches with stabs of the accelerator pedal to which the car responds. As for the suspension and brakes, the suspension seems relatively compatible considering the 20-inch wheel, and I made a few turns during which the body roll was noticeable, but it needs a good grip during hard turns.

With a projected EPA range number of 225 miles, the Volvo C40 Recharge can be driven with a heavy right foot as long as you’re not heading to a far destination. The on-screen map outlines the areas where chargers are available along the route, which can be filtered by type.

Volvo gives you a special addition to its C40 electric car, which is a free charging card called Electrify America Pass , which gives you a free charging plan for one year and the card is valid for 3 years.” This takes us to a study of the charging process, and I found that the battery can go from a 10% to 80% charge state in 37 minutes (at 150 kW fast charging) using a DC fast charger at a charging station.

The battery can go from empty to full charge in 8 hours using a level 2 charger, with a capacity of 48 amps. In fact, during our 150-mile trip I enjoyed the comfortable and quiet cabin, and I cruised at 75 miles per hour, and the view was good around me, as I found the seating position in the wheelchair relatively high, although the small rear window lost me some vision due to the interest of Volvo Some style in the back area.

safety dance

Volvo has always focused on safety as a central value to its brand, and the Volvo C40 Recharge is no exception. Jan Ivarson, Senior Technical Safety Adviser, says the battery design has been optimized to reduce the possibility of shock and/or fire during an accident, and unique crash test procedures involved dropping the C40 repeatedly off a winch to ensure its strength. and strength of the structure.

While the Volvo C40 Recharge supports the brand’s mission to prioritize safety over fashion and aesthetics, it doesn’t do so in an outrageous or unexciting way. Driving enthusiasts may note that despite its quick acceleration, the top speed of the Volvo C40 Recharge even on the open road is just 122 miles, because the car’s speed is electronically limited to 112 mph.

On this point, Ivarson says, “We make a statement to our customers about how important [reduced] speed is for safety and security.” In addition, the so-called Volvo Care Key can also impose vehicle speed limits as desired by the owner when the vehicle is loaned to younger drivers. This might be a good idea considering the car’s speed should be reduced to less than 112 mph.

The 402 horsepower produced by the C40 Recharge engines will make you reach the top speed in a short time, as it accelerates from zero to 96.7 kilometers per hour in 4.5 seconds, and it can launch to higher than the electronically limited speed. The car itself stabilizes the speed so that it does not exceed 112 miles per hour.

Volvo and big goals

The Volvo C40 Recharge 2022 is the Swedish brand’s second electric vehicle, but it is an important step in Volvo’s plan to achieve a global lineup that is 50% electric by 2025, and electric-only products by 2030. These goals may seem achievable given the rate of Global acquisition of 25% of Volvo’s electric vehicles globally.

Although hybrid cars or electric vehicles make up more than half of Volvo’s sales in California, Volvo electric cars make up only 6% of total national sales. The reason for this is that seven electric EV models have been pledged by 2025, including the XC90 Recharge, which is expected to be released in late 2023, and is arguably the most important model for an American buyer and will be the favorite car for Volvo enthusiasts in the United States of America.

Now Volvo has announced that the 2022 C40 Recharge will start at $59,845, excluding any federal tax credits for electric vehicles that buyers might qualify for. Although its boxier 2022 XC40 Recharge sibling will come in both Plus and Ultimate trims, the C40 will only be available as the more luxurious Ultimate model.

The Volvo C40 Recharge, the first Volvo designed to be fully electric, will start with an MSRP of $72600 in Canada.

Research the 2022 Volvo C40 Recharge with our expert reviews and ratings. Edmunds also has Volvo C40 Recharge pricing, MPG, specs, pictures, safety features …$58,750.00