Volvo has opened orders for the all-electric Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge in South Africa, at a starting price of R1.2 million.
The first customer cars are expected to land in September, and will only be available for purchase through the My.Volvo online car store.
The local configuration of the XC40 P8 Recharge differs slightly from its petrol-powered siblings, as it’s not sold in the three traditional trim lines.
According to the online store, standard equipment on the P8 includes heated leather seats, a heated multifunction steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, a fully-digital instrument cluster, and a 9-inch infotainment display that supports Bluetooth and smartphone integration.
This is in addition to keyless entry and start, a powered tailgate, a wireless charging pad, a 360-degree camera, automatic headlights and windscreen wipers, adaptive cruise control with Plus Pilot assist, blind spot information, and 20-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels.
As with the rest of the line-up, the XC40 Recharge boasts excellent safety ratings.
Power
Twin electric motors produce 300kW and 660Nm in the P8 Recharge, pushing it to 100km/h in 4.9 seconds.
A maximum driving range of 418km is available, and charging from 0-80% can be achieved within 40 minutes – if the correct fast-charging plug is connected.
The absence of a petrol engine allows extra practicality, too, as it sees an additional 30 litres of storage under the hood – bringing the XC40 Recharge’s total cargo capacity to 490 litres with all the seats up.
Included in the price of every model is a Volvo Care Package – which consists of a 5-year warranty and maintenance plan, three years of insurance, use of a petrol car for two weeks per year for three years, and a home charging kit.
Volvo South Africa is also rolling out a network of charging stations at its dealerships, said the company.
The market
If you have R1.2 million to spend on an SUV in South Africa, you may be swayed to look away from future-focused electric vehicles.
Performance, luxury, and off-road capabilities can be had at this price – with no compromise on brand.
This includes competing “fossil-fuel-powered” SUVs from Volvo.
Below, we have listed the Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge’s most daunting petrol and diesel-powered competitors in South Africa.
If you would like more information, click on the SUV’s underlined price to go to TopAuto Car Prices.
Land Rover Defender 90 D300 S
- Price – R1,201,152
- Power – 221kW/650Nm
- Warranty – 5-year/100,000km Land Rover Care Plan
BMW X3 M40i
- Price – R1,221,652
- Power – 265kW/500Nm
- Warranty – 5-year/100,000km BMW Motorplan
Jaguar F-Pace P250 AWD S
- Price – R1,224,850
- Power – 184kW/365Nm
- Warranty – 5-year/100,000km Jaguar Care Plan
Lexus RX 350 F-Sport
- Price – R1,225,800
- Power – 221kW/370Nm
- Warranty – 7-year/105,000km warranty and service plan.
VW Touareg V6 TDI Luxury
- Price – R1,230,000
- Power – 190kW/600Nm
- Warranty – 3-year/120,000km warranty and a 5-year/100,000km Automotion maintenance plan.
Porsche Macan S
- Price – R1,249,000
- Power – 260kW/480Nm
- Warranty – 3-year/100,000km Driveplan Maintenance Agreement
Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 4MATIC+
- Price – R1,255,640
- Power – 287kW/520Nm
- Warranty – 2-year/unlimited kilometre manufacturer’s warranty, and 5-year/100,000km maintenance plan and roadside assistance.
Volvo XC90 T5 AWD R-Design
- Price – R1,255,300
- Power – 187kW/350Nm
- Warranty – 5-year/100,000km Volvo Plan
Range Rover Evoque P300e R-Dynamic S
- Price – R1,285,200
- Power – 227kW/540Nm
- Warranty – 5-year/100,000km Land Rover Care Plan
Keyword: Petrol-powered SUVs taking on the Volvo XC40 Recharge