Tag Archives: MimboloveVolvo XC40
Volvo and Volkswagen are switching on to electric power and we’ll be climbing behind the wheels of the XC40 Recharge and ID.4 SUVs in a couple of days to find out if Tesla should be worried.
The XC40 Recharged is Volvo’s first electric vehicle, period, and the ID.4 is Volkswagen’s first electric SUV. Both are compact crossover-style SUVs, but the Volvo is both more expensive and more powerful.
Related: We’re Driving The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E, Anything You’d Like To Ask?
Like twice as powerful. The XC40 sends a serious 402hp to its four wheels thanks to an electric motor connect to each axle, and can crack 62mph (100km/h) in 4.7 seconds. It can cover 208 miles (335 km) on a charge and costs $53,990 before any tax credits are applied – though at £53,155 in the UK the XC40 is too expensive to qualify for any grant in Britain.
The ID.4, meanwhile, only serves up 201hp, and that goes exclusively to the rear wheels, while zero to 62mph (100km/h) takes a much more leisurely 8.5 seconds. That’s according to Volkswagen – we’ll be sticking our Racelogic VBOX timing gear to the ID.4 to see if we can’t improve on VW’s often conservative figures.
On the plus side, the ID.4 is substantially less expensive: prices start at $39,995 (£40,800 in UK) before tax credits, and its 250-mile (402 km) range is better than the Volvo’s.
So they’re not exactly direct rivals – a hotter ID.4 with enough performance to worry the XC40 comes later, as does a cheaper, slower version in some markets – but we thought it’d be interesting to drive them back to back to see if the Volvo is worth the extra money, and if the Volkswagen feels embarrassingly slow with half as much power.
Want to know anything about either car? Let is know in the comments below.
We’re also driving the facelifted 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric and battery-powered Lexus UX at the same time, though those come with a couple of caveats. The Kona is the lower-powered 136hp version of the two Konas available in Europe, but America will only get the 201hp version. And Lexus doesn’t offer the 300e electric version of its UX compact SUV in the US at all.
Do you think Lexus and Hyundai should change theirs mind and brings those cars to the US? Again, let us know in the comments below.
The Polestar 2 is already benefiting from the advantages of over-the-air (OTA) updates, and now so does the XC40, which is based on the same CMA platform, as Volvo will soon start rolling out its first software update for the Recharge model.
Available for customers in Europe, the novelties that come with the latest software update are very similar to those brought to the Polestar 2, as they increase charging speed and improve the range of Volvo’s first fully electric vehicle.
It also comprises of a new base software for the main electronic system, enhances Bluetooth connectivity, climate timers, 360-degree camera system and digital owner’s manual. Last but not least, the OTA also updates the Android Automotive OS that powers the infotainment system.
Review: Driving A 2019 Volvo XC40 For Almost A Year Had Its Ups And Downs
“The benefits of over-the-air updates are obvious. Yesterday, you still had to drive to the workshop to get the latest updates to your car; today, you simply click OK and your electric Volvo takes care of the rest. It couldn’t be easier”, said the car manufacturer’s chief technology officer Henrik Green.
Unveiled in the last quarter of 2019, the XC40 Recharge entered production one year later, prior to its arrival in the United States and Canada shortly after with an MSRP of $53,990 and CA$64,950 (US$51,860) respectively, excluding the federal tax credit.
The XC40 Recharge has two electric motors that generate a combined 402 HP and 486 lb-ft (659 Nm) of torque and are powered by a 78 kWh battery. From rest to 60 mph (0-96 km/h), the electric SUV needs less than 5 seconds, and it has an EPA range of 208 miles (335 km).
