2022 Volvo C40 Recharge electric crossover revealed, with aims for all-electric brand by 2030
Volvo has revealed a second fully electric model, called the C40 Recharge, and laid out a concrete plan for the brand’s transition to only electric cars.
Announced Tuesday with the 2022 C40 Recharge reveal, Volvo plans for 50% of its global sales to be fully electric by 2025, and for every car it sells to be fully electric by 2030.
The 2022 Volvo C40 Recharge is based on the same CMA platform as the XC40 Recharge and the gasoline XC40, and its 174-inch length, although at 62.3 inches high, the top of its roofline is nearly 3 inches lower overall. It’s likely ride height is a bit lower, although Volvo didn’t confirm that spec.
It pairs a front end similar to the XC40 with a lower roofline that tapers down to something more akin to a traditional hatchback profile. The sides of the vehicle also appear to taper inward toward the roof, which might make the C40 feel notably less roomy for back-seat riders.
Volvo C40 Recharge
Those purchasing a C40 Recharge will have the option of a striking blue theme inside, and Volvo says that it will be the first Volvo to be completely leather-free.
Just like the XC40 Recharge, the C40 Recharge will offer a 78-kwh battery pack that can be charged up to 80% in about 40 minutes with 150-kw CCS-format DC fast charging.
Volvo is anticipating a 210-mile EPA range for the model which, like the XC40, offers two motors making a combined 402 horsepower and 486 pound-feet of torque. The company lists a 0-60 mph time of 4.7 seconds.
2022 Volvo C40 Recharge
Just like the XC40 Recharge, the C40 Recharge will offer over-the-air updates and include four years of an electric-specific Volvo care package, including maintenance and repairs, insurance where available, home-charging options, and roadside assistance. It will have over-the-air update capability at launch, and it includes a connectivity package for the lifetime of the car.
The C40 and other future electric cars will be available online-only—including in the U.S.—as part of a new strategy to dramatically simplify the ordering and purchase process and pare down dealer inventories.
Volvo hasn’t yet detailed pricing for the C40 Recharge. The XC40 Recharge starts at $54,895, or $47,395 after considering the $7,500 federal EV tax credit for which many will be eligible.
Volvo C40 Recharge
The C40 Recharge is the first of “several additional electric models” on the way. It goes into production alongside the XC40 Recharge in Ghent, Belgium, in fall 2021 and is due to reach U.S. customers in early 2022.
Volvo in the meantime sees its plug-in hybrid models as key to the transition to electric. It’s worked to make them up to 60% of the model mix in some West Coast markets—20% elsewhere—and has given them a big price reduction for 2021. The company has also masked some of its tailpipes in the process.