Electric Volvo XC40s for Australia

June 7, 2020August 3, 2020 Bruce Newton 3713 Views battery electric vehicle, bev, PHEV, plug-in electric vehicle, volvo

Volvo will soon add a plug-in hybrid version of its popular XC40 compact SUV to its Australia range and follow up with a battery electric version in 2021.

The XC40 Recharge Plug-In Hybrid is due within months and Volvo is already sending examples out to media fleets for road testing.

The XC40 Recharge Pure Electric is the first battery electric production vehicle from Volvo and is due in Australia in the second or third quarter of 2021.

The plug-in retails for $64,990 plus on-road costs and the EV will be more expensive again when it launches. Both models will be priced above the existing ICE-powered XC40 range, which tops out at $56,990 (plus on-road costs).

If you haven’t picked it up already, Recharge is the new-ish overarching name for Volvo electrified models.

Volvo already offers plug-in hybrid versions of the XC60 and XC90 SUVs and S60 and V60 passenger cars in Australia.

The XC40 PHEV combines a 134kW/265Nm 1.5-litre turbo three-cylinder petrol engine with a 61kW/160Nm electric motor fed by a 10.7kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

The combined 195kW drives the front wheels, via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. A 46km driving range is claimed with a WLTP-rated 2.0L/100km fuel consumption average.

Volvo also claims a 7.3 sec dash from zero to 100km/h and a top speed of 204km/h.

Fast charging the battery takes a minimum 2.5 hours, while a conventional three-pin plug takes between 3.5 and six hours.

The XC40 BEV is driven by two electric motors that generate 300kW and 660Nm and drive all four wheels. It accelerates from zero to 100km/h in just 4.9 seconds.

Powered by a 78kWh lithium-ion battery located between the axles, Volvo claims the XC40 Recharge can cover a WLTP-verified 400km between charges.

Volvo Car Australia has also confirmed further electrified variants coming our way in 2021 could include Polestar Engineered plug-in versions of the S60 and V60.

An arrival date for the Polestar 2, with which the XC40 BEV shares its drivetrain, is yet to be finalised but it is wanted by VCA.