A few weeks ago Volvo Cars made the announcement that every model produced by the Swedish automaker from 2030 will be powered purely by batteries. The company has already joined the electric-car revolution and offers several hybrid and electric models for sale in international markets. South African buyers will soon be able to join the ranks of pure electric Volvo owners as the Volvo XC40 Recharge SUV will be introduced locally in the second half of this year.

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More battery power

The XC40 will be the first of five fully electric cars to be launched by the Swedish company over the next five years. “Volvo Cars will launch a fully electric car every year, as we look to make all-electric cars 50 percent of global sales by 2025, with the rest hybrids. Recharge will be the overarching name for all chargeable Volvos with a fully electric and plug-in hybrid powertrain,” explains Greg Maruszewski, managing director of Volvo Car South Africa.

Check out a cool Volvo P1800 restomod at this link.

Power and range

The XC40 Recharge is powered by twin electric motors. Total system power is rated as 304 kW and with a more than healthy 660 N.m of torque on tap from the moment the motors start turning. Volvo says the XC40 Recharge can sprint from 0-100 km/h in 4,9 seconds. Travelling range is quoted as up to 418 km on a full charge. Up to 80 per cent of battery capacity can be charged in just 40 minutes using a fast charger.

Read our Volvo XC40 driving impression by clicking here.

Owners will be able to charge the vehicle at a Volvo dealership, at home or at a public charging stations. Volvo Car South Africa plans to implement an extensive network of charging stations at its dealerships with the aim of each dealership having a charging station by year’s end.

By ditching the internal combustion engine the Volvo XC40 Recharge has an additional 30-litre storage compartment under the front bonnet. The batteries and drivetrain are placed under the car. 

SA sales info

Orders opened on Monday 10 May with deliveries commencing in August this year. The car will be sold exclusively online via the company’s new website, My Volvo. Pricing for the car will start at R1,2 million. According to Greg Maruszewski, the company has worked hard to offer this luxury all-electric vehicle at a competitive price.

“All-electric vehicles sold in South Africa have traditionally come with hefty price tags – and this has undoubtedly been a deterrent. We know that there is an appetite in South Africa for electric cars and we were determined to give customers an attractive price,” he says.