New Volvo C40 Recharge will only be available online

Volvo on Tuesday revealed its new all-electric C40 Recharge.

Built on the firm’s CMA platform, this sleek SUV is the first Volvo model in history designed as pure electric only. It will also only be available exclusively for order online. That’s right, if you want one then you’ll have to click on volvocars.com to make your purchase as the C40 Recharge won’t be found lurking in the car maker’s traditional brick-and-mortar dealerships. 

“The C40 Recharge represents the future of Volvo and shows where we are going,” Henrik Green, chief technology officer, told the press during a brief internet presentation on Tuesday.

“It is fully electric, offered online only with a convenient care package and will be available for quick delivery. Getting a new Volvo was never this attractive.”

What do you actually get with the C40 Recharge? Well strip away its attractive steely skin and you will discover this SUV sports a sophisticated drivetrain consisting of twin electric motors (one on the front and one on the rear axle) powered by a 78kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Volvo claims he latter can be fast-charged to 80% capacity in about 40 minutes. In terms of maximum driving range you can count on around 420km, which Volvo says is expected to improve over time via over-the-air software updates.

As to be expected, the cabin of the C40 Recharge offers plenty of scope for customisation and is also the first Volvo to be completely leather-free - something vegans will no doubt appreciate. Also present is the firm’s developed-with-Google touchscreen infotainment system that offers customers built-in Apps such as Google Maps and Google Assistant.

The C40 Recharge will go into production later this year and will be built alongside the XC40 Recharge at the Volvo Cars manufacturing plant in Ghent, Belgium.

Will it be coming to SA?

According to Greg Maruszewski, managing director at Volvo Car SA, launch plans “have yet to be finalised”. He did, however, confirm the local launch of the XC40 Recharge will be announced at the end of March. Watch this space for more information.