Volvo XC40 Recharge EV locked in for August launch

Volvo, the car company formerly known as Safety, is increasingly carving out a niche as an EV early adopter, and it has now confirmed its first fully electric passenger car for the Australian market will arrive in August.

The zippily named XC40 Recharge Pure Electric will arrive in Australia within months, and Volvo’s Australian arm no doubt sees this as a huge opportunity to capture new customers for whom the brand was previously unappealing.

It also offers a no-petrol alternative to the XC40 Recharge plug-in hybrid (PHEV) that is already proving popular for those looking for electric running with an engine as a back-up.

Formerly a proud Swedish company, Volvo now has Chinese DNA, or at least Chinese ownership, as well, and that country’s focus on EVs is no doubt partly driving Volvo’s electric focus.

The (deep breath again) XC40 Recharge Pure Electric will have a 72.5kWh battery that will give it a claimed 325km real-world range, according to Volvo.

The XC40 EV’s 300kW and 660Nm motors should make it rather pacy, and provide effortless overtaking. Indeed, there’s a good chance it will be the most exciting Volvo money can buy.

Whereas the XC40 PHEV drives only the front wheels, the XC40 EV drives all four wheels.

Speaking of money, the XC40 Recharge Pure Electric should come in just above, or possibly close to, one of its big competitors, the Tesla Model 3 (which starts at about $73,000),  in terms of price. There’s no confirmed sticker as yet, however.

Other obvious competitors will be the Jaguar I-Pace and Mercedes-Benz’s EQC.

There’s plenty more EV action in Volvo’s future, with five more on the drawing board, including a “more streamlined” car that will utilise the EV underpinnings of the XC40 Recharge.

From sister brand Polestar we’re expecting the Polestar 2 in 2022 and some kind of sexy-looking thing based on the radical Precept concept car, which has been confirmed for production.

The company has announced it will triple production of its electric models.

Now that Ford has set the bar, with its commitment to be fully electric by 2030, it’s likely Volvo will try to match it. In the past it has discussed the idea, but it will have to move fast.

Volvo also makes a lot of trucks, of course, and has already introduced an electric one, the Volvo FL.