Volvo XC40 & C40 Recharge: New technology in an old guise
A TEST REPORT from Dominic Lux 
on October 06, 2023, 8:00 p.m. | Write a comment
Volvo takes its first two fully electric models to a new level. More efficiency, longer ranges and better traction. These are the most important points that were mentioned to us when we took part in the “Pure Electric test drives” in Berchtesgaden. We'll explain to you in detail here what exactly is new with the XC40 and C40.
We already have it for you C40 Pure Electric Twin Engine as well as the XC40 single engine tested. With the XC40, we increasingly noticed that the front-wheel drive tends to “spin” even on dry roads thanks to its high torque. All the better that Volvo is now installing rear-wheel drive in the single engine instead of a front engine. There is also a larger battery and more charging power.
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Familiar with new technology
Everything stays the same on the outside. Not much is happening inside either. Only the seats made of wool, which are optional, are probably new here. When it comes to infotainment, Volvo continues to rely on its integration of Google's Android Automotive. Despite the small screen, there is now even a YouTube and Amazon Prime app in their Playstore.
Instead, a lot has happened in the entire “engine compartment”. In the single motor version there is no longer a front engine, but a completely new rear engine for both vehicles.
There are also two entry-level versions: 238 hp (175 kW) and 330 Nm, and 252 hp (185 kW) and 420 Nm. The smaller motorization comes with the old motor, which already existed, and also the smaller battery, which corresponds to 69 kWh.
The 252 HP version has a new 82 kWh battery. There is no difference in the acceleration time for either of them, which is 0 to 100 km/h in 7,4 seconds for the Volvo C40 Recharge Pure Electric. The equipment and technical data can largely be transferred to the XC40.
According to WLTP, the large battery should achieve a range of up to 581 km. This is really remarkable, but unfortunately it doesn't correspond to reality, as WLTP is always created under laboratory conditions. In reality, a good 480 km should still be possible. With the small battery it has a range of around 400 km, which of course should still be more than enough for most people.
charging power
The charging speed has also been drastically increased: you can now charge with a peak of a good 205 kW. Mind you, only with the large batteries. With these you can achieve a charge from 10 to 80 Prozent in around 27 minutes, which is a significant improvement over the pre-facelift days.
Great improvement in efficiency
What we criticized about the old Volvo electric models was their efficiency. In everyday life this was easily 19 to 23 kWh per 100 km. One goal of the revised new engines was to significantly increase efficiency. This was also successful. We drove the Volvo C40 twin engine at a good 16 to 17 kWh per 100 km, the single engine version could possibly reach 15 kWh per 100 km. These values would be really good in relation to the size of the vehicles.
How does the facelift work?
We chased the Volvo C40 through the Bavarian and Austrian Alps. Plus as a twin engine with a whopping 408 hp. Basically the version that we had in our editorial office last summer. In the driving experience you can clearly see that the set-up is much more rear-biased. It still pushes you nicely into the seat, just as you would expect from a sporty SUV coupe in this class.
As before, we also included a matrix LED system as an additional charge option, which probably hasn't changed, but worked very well in our last test. Volvo calls this “Pixel LED”.
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- Picture: TechnikNews
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- Picture: TechnikNews
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- Picture: TechnikNews
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- Picture: TechnikNews
When it comes to the driving experience, you can simply say that Volvo has once again done a great job here. The C40 Twin engine handles the road wonderfully and can even be driven through curves in a sporty manner for such a large SUV coupe. By the way, the rear-heavy nature of the new drive train is particularly noticeable in curves.
The chassis is not too hard and absorbs a lot, as you are used to from Volvo. Only in the C40 do you notice the slightly sportier tuning, as the “Sporty Steering Feel” setting also seems to be activated as standard.
In summary, one can say that the C40 has now received a very good technical upgrade. We will of course test the two new model generations for you. If you have any questions about any of the new models, please ask them in the comments section below. We'll try to answer these for you.
Thanks to Volvo Germany for the invitation to Berchtesgaden to drive the new Volvo XC40 and C40 models in advance!
