The Volvo XC40 is a fun little crossover in its gasoline-powered forms. We even took one smack into a Colorado blizzard and it performed better than we expected, but what if you’re looking to leave fossil fuel behind? Volvo will point you toward their brand new XC40 Recharge — the brand’s first purely electric vehicle. As of today, we have U.S. pricing for the small EV crossover, and Volvo even announced a nationwide charging network to support its launch.
While the standard XC40 starts at $34,695 (that’s for the front-wheel drive T4, mind you), the Recharge will cost you $54,985. That’s a solid $4,995 more than a Tesla Model Y Long Range, but Volvo touts available federal and state tax incentives. With just the $7,500 federal credit, the price effectively drops to $46,490, barring any state-level EV measures. At this point, there is no federal tax incentive for Teslas in the U.S.
What the Volvo XC40 Recharge brings for the money
Up front, the 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge drops the typical turbocharged, supercharged, electrified (or combination of all three) gasoline powertrains for a pure EV drivetrain. All-wheel drive is standard fare here, as is 402 horsepower and 486 lb-ft of torque. With its 78-kWh battery pack, the XC40 Recharge promises up to 208 miles of range according to official EPA figures. Using 150-kW DC fast-charging, Volvo says drivers can charge the car up to 80 percent state-of-charge in about 40 minutes.
Inside, the 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge houses a largely similar interior to the standard gas-powered models. The 9.0-inch infotainment display runs on a newer Android operating system. That allows use of the Google Assistant, embedded Google Maps and access to the Google Play store for some third-party apps. As for safety systems, the XC40 Recharge comes standard with a blind spot information system with steer assist, cross-traffic alert, active bending LED headlights and run-off road protection.
Options list
The all-electric XC40 comes with a few different options, starting with the $1,300 “Advanced Package”. That includes headlight washers, Volvo’s Pilot Assist driver system with Adaptive Cruise Control, a 360-degree surround-view camera, a 12-volt power outlet in the cargo area and wireless charging. A $750 climate package adds heated windshield-wiper blades, heated rear seats and a heated steering wheel. The 13-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system is an $800 standalone option. A heat-pump to precondition the cabin costs $350, while larger 20-inch alloy wheels runs another $800. Finally, some metallic paint colors are $645, while lava carpet is $100.
The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge P8 is available to order through Volvo’s website. What’s more, the automaker announced a collaboration with ChargePoint to make a nationwide charging network available to their customers. While this adds another option to the EV arena, the XC40 will have to face stiff competition, and not just from Tesla. In the coming months, we also expect the much less expensive Volkswagen ID.4 to arrive with a similar range, while heavy discounts on cars like Jaguar I-Pace also put it in contention against Volvo’s luxury offering. Even the Polestar 2, from Volvo’s own electric spinoff, runs about $6,000 more while offering better range and a bit more power.