-It will be the carmaker’s first full-electric car

-Expected to launch in India later next year after the all-new S60

Volvo Cars India recently revealed the luxury sedan S60 for the Indian market and is slated to take the roads early next year. During the digital premiere of the S60, the company also confirmed the launch of XC40 Recharge for India in 2021. XC40 Recharge is the Swedish car manufacturer’s first all-electric SUV which was unveiled globally last year.

The compact SUV is based on the standard XC40 and derives a majority of its exterior styling from it. The XC40 Recharge is also based on the same Compact Modular Architecture platform. The 78kWh battery pack is placed under the front seats without hampering the interior space and in turn giving way for additional cargo space in the form of new front trunk. Drawing power from the battery pack are two electric motors, one on each axle jointly producing 402hp and 660Nm of torque. This makes the EV sprint from 0-100kmph in just 4.9 seconds with a limited top speed of 180kmph.

Volvo quotes a WLTP range of 418 km. Available charging options include a 150kW DC fast charger capable of topping the battery from zero to 80 percent in just 40 minutes. An 11kW AC fast charger is also on offer with the capacity to charge from zero to 100 percent in eight to ten hours. Interestingly, the charging socket on the car is positioned in the same place as the traditional fuel slot.

In a Volvo first, the XC40 Recharge features a brand new nine-inch Android-based infotainment system with over-the-air updates for services such as Google Maps and Google Assistant. Other features on the EV includes a digital driver’s display unit, dual-zone automatic climate control, four USB-C ports, Harman Kardon stereo system and a panoramic sunroof.

Continuing the brand’s legacy of high safety tech, the XC40 Recharge is no less. It packs in four high-definition cameras giving a 360-degree camera parking view, blind spot information system, lane aid, cross-traffic alert and adaptive headlights. Volvo also has connected car tech with ‘Volvo On Call App’ with controls such as preheat, precool and more.

The XC40 is the brand’s first electric offering towards the ambition of becoming a climate-neutral company and will launch one fully-electric car over the next four years with an aim to reach total global sales of EVs to 50 percent by 2025. Although the electric infrastructure in India developing at a slow pace, the EV market is showing positive response with cars like Tata Nexon EV and MG ZS EV recording decent sales figures.