Following up with its promise made earlier this year, Volvo Car Malaysia has now officially unveiled the C40 Recharge here on our shores. The fully-electric coupe-crossover is available in a single variant, the P8 Ultimate, and is priced from RM288,888.
The Volvo C40 Recharge is a derivative of the popular XC40 Pure Recharge crossover, as such it features the same front-end design and same 19-inch wheels design, but with the aforementioned sloping roofline for a coupe-esque look, alongside a unique rear fascia – the latter with two spoilers on the raked windscreen.
It’s also similarly built on the same Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) platform that underscores many models under the wider Geely umbrella, including the Lynk & Co models, as well as the Polestar 2.
In terms of propulsion, it is also essentially identical to the XC40 Pure Recharge, featuring the P8 fully-electric powertrain consisting of two electric motors – one on each axle – and a 78 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The powertrain makes a combined 408 hp and 660 Nm, which translates to a century sprint time of 4.7 seconds.
The battery pack is sufficient for an emissions-free driving range of 451 km (WLTP test cycle), which is 13 km more than what the regular XC40 Pure Recharge is rated for. Volvo attributes the extra range to the inherently better aerodynamic performance of the sloped roofline.
For charging, the Volvo C40 Recharge Ultimate comes with an 11 kW on-board AC charger, taking eight hours for a full charge. DC fast charging is also supported up to 150 kW, which lets you top off the battery from 10-80% in just 28 minutes.
Inside, the Volvo C40 Recharge gets a unique topography decor on the dashboard trims, inspired by the scenic mountains in Sweden to “create a calming effect inside the car”. The effect is also helped by a 100% leather-free interior, with a suede and textile mixed upholstery, alongside a unique wool blend for the trim inserts.
Just like the XC40 Pure Recharge EV, the C40 here also gets a pair of screens, measuring 12.3-inches for the instrument cluster, and a nine-inch portrait-oriented touchscreen for the infotainment display. Both screens are powered by Google’s Android Automotive OS, giving you access to the built-in Google Assistant, Google Maps (with unique EV features), and a Google Play Store for additional vehicle-oriented apps.
Apple CarPlay is also now available on the updated infotainment systems, alongside standard features such as a PM2.5 air filtration device for the climate control system, wireless charging pad, and a panoramic glass roof.
In classic Volvo fashion, safety is also a huge aspect of focus on the C40 Recharge. As such, the fully-electric coupe-crossover also gets the marque’s full suite of the Intellisafe advanced safety assistance systems, with features including front and rear autonomous emergency braking with intersection support, as well as pedestrian, cyclist, and large animal detection, lane keeping assist, blind-spot monitor, and cross-traffic alert with auto brake, among others.
The Volvo C40 Recharge is priced from RM288,888 here in Malaysia, making it RM10,000 dearer than its more regularly-shaped sibling, the XC40 Recharge Pure Electric. Included in the price is a five-year warranty and free service programme, alongside an eight-year battery warranty, as well as five years of Volvo On Call and four years of digital services subscriptions.
Five exterior colours are available on offer, including Fjord Blue (pictured), Black Stone, Crystal White, Thunder Grey, and Sage Green.
Volvo Cars is committed to being completely carbon-neutral by 2040, and it plans to achieve that by first reducing overall CO2 emissions by 40% per car by 2025, and then becoming a fully electric company by 2030.
However, speaking at the media launch event today, Volvo Car Malaysia Managing Director, Charles Frump said that the company aims to be even quicker than the global timeline, achieving 75% sales from full electric vehicles by 2025.
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Keyword: Volvo C40 Recharge Pure Electric launched in Malaysia, from RM289k