Volvo has confirmed its C40 Recharge will arrive in Mzansi during the first half of 2023.
Built on the Swedish firm’s CMA platform, the sleek C40 Recharge 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 mounted low down in the chassis. Volvo claims the latter can be fast-charged to 80% capacity in about 40 minutes. In terms of maximum driving range you can count on 451km according to the WLTP driving cycle. Peak outputs stand at 300kW and 660Nm — good enough for 0-100km/h in 4.7 seconds.
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.
Greg Maruszewski, MD at Volvo Car South Africa, believes the C40 Recharge will prove popular with local buyers who are increasingly considering fully electric vehicles.
“Our initial allocations of both the XC40 Recharge and XC40 Recharge Twin were snapped up in double-quick time. We expect the new C40 Recharge to resonate just as strongly with South Africans looking to switch to battery-powered vehicles,” says Maruszewski.
Local pricing and specifications for the C40 Recharge will be announced closer to launch.
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