Volvo Canada sells two basic versions of its XC40 Recharge crossover, one with a single electric motor and rear-wheel drive, and a pricier version with twin electric motors that deliver all-wheel drive.
And there’s more. The less powerful single motor XC40 (248 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque) delivers considerably more range than the twin (402 hp and 494 lb-ft): 472 km versus 409 km. That is, in ideal conditions, of course.
The Twin weighs more, as you can imagine, puts power to all four corners AND delivers amazing acceleration: 0-100 km/hour in an estimated 4.8 seconds, versus 7.3 sec. for the Single.
Let’s sum up, then: for an extra $3,550, the battery-driven twin upgrades you to a fast, functional, fun, and formidable compact crossover whose major drawback is a smallish cargo space and a tidy but hardly luxurious cabin design for what can be an $80,000 rig, plus fees and taxes.
Let me say more on pricing.
No matter which XC40 you might want, nothing comes cheap. The base model with the single motor starts at $63,390. The jump to the better-equipped Plus version is $8,050, while the Ultimate adds $12,300.
So, if you load up on everything the XC40 has to offer, your sticker comes in at $79,240. That is, unless you want the complete Winter Wheel Kit ($3,795) or any of the other accessories and options – from the Adventure Package with its roof rack ($1,030) to the Cyclist Package ($2,410) for carrying the bikes all Volvo owners surely own and use.
Volvo Cars has made a full commitment to an electrified lineup, though that does not mean all Volvo’s offerings are full battery-electric rides. There is a very basic XC40, a mild hybrid for about $50,000. It will eventually be phased out, though exact timing is hard to nail down.
The point is, Volvo has a plan and that means its EV models are competitive right now. Which brings me to charging.
You can re-juice the XC40 Recharge in eight hours using a 240-volt source with an 11kW output. A 150kW DC faster charge will get you from 10-80% in 34 minutes for the Twin and it will take 28 for the Single.
If you have lived with EVs for a while, you know that even the fast chargers touting amazing output do not always deliver as advertised. I’ve used DC fast chargers rated at 350kW that actually functioned at 50kW for a whole host of reasons. And I’ve come across quite a few very, very fast DC fast chargers that were not functioning at all.
My point: take the posted charging times with a very large grain of salt. You will not always get the charging you should expect.
Cost and charging issues aside, the XC40 Recharge is a very nice piece of engineering and design.
The Recharge boots up the moment you open the door; there is no start button or knob. It’s just “on” the moment you arrive. Kinda cool, but this does take some time to get used to.
The ride itself is amazingly quiet and surprisingly entertaining. Yes, it’s fast. Not to be overlooked, however, is that Volvo’s engineers have tuned the Recharge for sporty handling, yet the ride is very stable and comfortable.
The cabin is handsome but not fancy. As I drove about sitting in a very comfortable bucket seat covered in a soft wool blend, I imagined myself on a long-ish road trip and enjoying it very much. I would expect to arrive rested and safe.
That said, I am not a fan of Volvo’s approach to controls and infotainment. The Google infotainment interface works well enough, and having access to Google Maps and such is handy. But partnering with Google is clearly a cost-cutting move.
The tech bros of Silicon Valley (where I grew up, BTW), may think it’s a good idea to work your way through a lot of screens to do some very simple things, but I think they’re wrong. Volvo should go with more redundant controls. And if you lose your data connection, Mr. Google is rendered useless.
More than anything, though, there is this: We keep hearing that the price of EVs will soon come down, as volumes and competition filter through the marketplace. Let’s see how that prediction unfolds. Because 80 Large for a small SUV seems a bit pricy.
