Like most European cars, in a straight line, the XC40 Recharge feels very stable. It’s so planted that you won’t realise how fast you are going.
Driving the XC40 Recharge Single Motor
The XC40 Recharge Single Motor comes with a 69 kWh lithium-ion battery pack mounted on the floor of the car. Powering the car is a single electric motor that puts out 235 BHP and 420 Nm. It comes with a shift-by-wire single-speed transmission and rear-wheel drive configuration.
The first thing you notice when you want to start the car is that there is no start/stop button. To bring the electric motors to life, you need to press the brake and put the gear shifter in “D” mode. There is a sensor that detects if someone is present in the driver’s seat. Only then does the car’s motor start.
Step on the accelerator and the car moves forward gently. There are no jerks from gearshifts and no sound from the engine, which means it is an extremely refined experience. What’s great is that the car comes with a one-pedal drive feature which can be activated through the touchscreen head-unit. This allows the XC40 Recharge to be driven by just using the accelerator and without using the brakes in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Driving the car in city traffic is a breeze. While the front visibility is good, and side visibility is average. However, the thick C-pillars hamper the visibility through the rear windshield.
On the open road, the XC40 Recharge provides instant acceleration when you step on the accelerator. Volvo claims a 0-100 km/h sprint time of 7.3 seconds, which though 2.4 seconds slower than the dual motor version, is still quite fast. Floor the A-pedal and you will surge ahead of most other cars around you. It provides enough excitement to keep enthusiasts happy.
The XC40 Recharge can easily cruise at triple-digit speeds on the highway and when you need to overtake a slower vehicle quickly, just floor the A-pedal and fly past the vehicle. However, the harder you drive, the faster the range drops. This is also why you will see EVs that are driving longer distances sticking to the middle lane and cruising at 80-100 km/h (which is the best cruising speed for the current lots of EVs).
Off-road Mode
The car comes with an Off-road drive mode that can be activated through the touchscreen. It is only available at slow speeds. It provides enhanced traction which makes it possible to increase or reduce the speed of the car on steep hills by using only the accelerator pedal, without using the foot brake.
Regenerative Braking
Unlike many other EVs, the XC40 Recharge does not get adjustable regenerative braking. Instead, as mentioned earlier, it comes with a one-pedal drive feature. The car will start shedding speed the moment you lift your foot off the accelerator and come to a stop. It is beautifully calibrated and a boon in city traffic. Engine-braking lovers will appreciate driving with this feature activated.
One can switch the one-pedal drive feature off through the touchscreen. However, this will mean absolutely no regeneration. There is an “Auto” mode as well in which the system decides when to activate the one-pedal drive. With one-pedal driving engaged, the car loses speed rapidly when the accelerator is released. Therefore, at highway speeds, it’s best to deactivate the feature or use Auto mode where the car won’t immediately decelerate. If the one-pedal drive feature is switched on at highway speeds, the regen is strong and vehicles behind you might end up coming very close to your car. Volvo should’ve just provided adjustable regeneration as it gives the driver control as per his / her comfort level.
Noise, Vibration & Harshness (NVH)
Like most EVs, the XC40 Recharge is super quiet. There’s no engine or gearbox to make any noise, so the overall driving experience is silent. At slow speeds, no one will hear you coming and you might need to use the horn to warn others of your presence.
Cabin insulation is top class and wind noise and tyre / road noise are well controlled. Overall, the cabin is a quiet and comfortable place to be in.
Range
The Volvo XC40 Recharge Single Motor has an ICAT-certified range of 592 km or a WLTP-certified range of 475 km. I drove the car for ~150 km and used up ~40% of the battery. So in real-world driving conditions, you can expect a range of ~350 km. Given the rising demand for EVs, there are plenty of charging stations popping up everywhere, which ought to take care of range anxiety as well.
Charging
Volvo provides an 11 kW charger as standard with the XC40 Recharge. A full charge should take ~8 hours. The car can also be charged using a 150 kW fast charger. The company claims that this can charge the battery from 10% to 80% in ~30 minutes.
Suspension
Ride Comfort
The Volvo XC40 Recharge gets a MacPherson strut suspension at the front and a multi-link suspension at the rear. The suspension is on the stiffer side and the car rides on 19-inch wheels. This makes the low-speed ride firm. Every crack and bump on the road is felt. While the ride is not uncomfortable, it is far from plush. As we have seen in the case with most stiff suspension setups, the ride quality improves with speed. The recommended tyre pressure is a rather high 41 PSI. Dropping the pressure might help improve the ride.
Handling & Dynamics
Like most European cars, in a straight line, the XC40 Recharge feels very stable. It’s so planted that you won’t realise how fast you are going. Undulations on the road are dispatched with aplomb. In the corners, body roll is very well-controlled and the car handles admirably when driven hard through a series of corners. Mid-corner bumps are easily dealt with and the car doesn’t lose its composure. The stiff suspension helps matters when the car is driven hard. The Pirelli tyres provide excellent grip as well.
Steering
The electric power steering is a nice unit and easy to operate as well. It is light at city speeds which makes it very user-friendly. The steering weighs up well at highway speeds. Further, it can be given some more weight by activating a mode through the touchscreen. Overall, the steering feels connected and inspires confidence.
Braking
Volvo has equipped the XC40 Recharge with 18-inch discs at the front and rear. These give the car great stopping power. I slammed on the brakes when the car was doing ~120 km/h and the car stopped without any drama.
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