First Drive: Volvo C40 Recharge
Volvo C40 Recharge: Rev, Revive, Recycle
MOMENTS AFTER I POSTED FLICKS OF THE 2022 VOLVO C40 Recharge, THE COMMENTS AND INQUIRIES BEGAN TO POUR IN. EVERYONE ASKED, HOW IS IT? THE WORLD IS HUNGRY FOR MORE ELECTRIC CARS, AND THE VOLVO C40 RECHARGE CHECKS MANY OF THE BOXES OF THE BEST OF THEM OUT ON THE STREEts. RANGE: 220-PLUS MILES (LESS THAN TESLA MODEL 303 MILES, BUT STILL PLENTY FOR DAILY DRIVING). STYLING: SVELTE AND CURVACEOUS ROOF. (IT’S WHY WE CALL IT A FOUR-DOOR COUPE.) HOW IT DRIVES: NIMBLE AND PUNCHY. (TRANSLATION, FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR, AND GO, GO, GO.) THE VERY SHORT VERSION OF THIS REVIEW: YES, PLEASE.
Recharge is Volvo’s branded language around its emerging electric vehicles lineup. We see it in the slightly larger small SUV, the XC40 Recharge. Unlike the XC40, the C40 doesn’t have a gas-powered option, which makes it a first for a brand that will soon only sell electric cars.
I first drove the C40 Recharge around Palm Springs — the epicenter of American modernist architecture. I opted in for the self-guided architectural tour on my C40 Recharge test drive. Locations like 1946 Richard Neutra designed Kaufmann House underscore modernist themes — the wide open spaces, clean contours, and use of glass.
It’s all a good prompt to get into the C40’s finer qualities, which hit on these tenets of good design. It surfaces and contours create an inviting, open space. On the exterior its a streamlined coupe. This elongated form uses glass give is prevalent along the roofline. The large 20-inch wheels are shaped like wind turbines. While these crisp proportions make it stand out from the small SUVs and crossovers, it also gives it a modernist edge. That’s the first reason to take an interest in the C40 — its look and feel.
Where the design shines brightest is on the interior — and in the long run, the interior actually matters more to the people that own and drive their cars. Here’s where user experience is becoming dominant in car design. The C40 driver’s experience is simple, clean and well proportioned. It’s a space intended to highlight Volvo’s use of sustainable materials. By 2025, Volvo says one-quarter of its materials will be sustainable. “There are so many latest, advanced materials that it gives us more freedom to experiment,” says Volvo US design chief Erik Beak. Without leathers and wasteful plastics, recycled material abound. Leather and pleather are not even available on th eoption list. The 12-inch digital cluster and nine-inch touch screens are functional, decently sized, and intuitive. These screens and the brain of the car are powered up by Google’s automotive system, and its accompanying suite of apps first seen on the Polestar 2, a distant cousin of the Volvo brand, also owned by the Geely group.
Like its older sibling, the Volvo XC40 Recharge, no ignition switch is required to take off, which takes about a day to get used to driving. The 200-plus miles of a range on a single charge clocks in slightly more miles per charge than the XC40 Recharge. It’s supported by the same 78-kilowatt hour battery. I never came close to worrying about running out of batteries, but of course this was by design in our programmed route through the desert landscape in mid-century modern country.
The accompanying numbers add up to solid performance — 408 horsepower and 487 pound feet of torque translate to personality and zip. The top speed is 112 miles per hour – respectable for a street savvy EV. It’s also quiet to drive, like most EVS. One pedal braking is a key part of the driving experience, and its well executed. Here’s where the driver lifts the right foot off the accelerator and the car comes to a firm, but not too sudden of a stop. It’s kind of fun to mess around with one-pedal while driving, and further maximize fuel economy in this regenerative process. C40 Recharge pricing hovers around $60,000 all in. While it lands in the luxe price category, its subdued character and grace add to its thoughtful appeal.