Volvo XC40 Recharge lands later this year for $54,985
The electric SUV's price may seem a little steep, but it also qualifies for a $7,500 tax credit from the federal government.
Volvo's ready to get its electric groove on, and first up is the XC40 Recharge. While we first saw the small electric SUV last year, the brand dished out a price for the vehicle on Wednesday ahead of its launch later this year. And it's not exactly an affordable EV, sorry to say.
The XC40 Recharge starts at $54,985 after a $995 destination charge and before any federal, state or local tax credits and incentives. With the federal tax credit, the price effectively drops to $47,485. Comparing EVs is tough: On one hand, the XC40 Recharge is a far nicer vehicle inside and out than, say, the Chevy Bolt EV. On the other hand, the Volvo boasts a EPA-estimated driving range of just 208 miles, while the Bolt EV will go 259 miles and costs far less. And that's before tossing the Tesla Model Y, which will do an estimated 326 miles and costs about $5,000 less than the Volvo.
Is the XC40 a better buy? We'll need to wait until we get a chance to drive one to find out, but collectively, we do enjoy the standard XC40 already.
So what does the XC40 Recharge provide for its price? A 78 kilowatt-hour battery provides energy for two electric motors that make 402 horsepower and 486 pound-feet of torque, which funnels to all four wheels via its all-wheel drive system. If you're more about the gizmos and gadgets , the electric SUV boasts an Android-powered infotainment system with Google built directly into the system. The Play store, Maps and Google Assistant are always at your service, though Apple CarPlay is still possible. Ahead of the driver sits a 12.3-inch digital display, and to their right, a 9.0-inch tablet serves as the interface for the Android-powered infotainment. Volvo baked in a slew of driver-assist features as well, but some things like its Pilot Assist system with adaptive cruise control are optional.
Volvo also boasted about its agreement with ChargePoint to provide future XC40 Recharge owners automatic access to the company's charging stations. There's not free charging included, but at least you won't need to fumble with a membership and various cards to unlock a station. ChargePoint currently operates 115,000 stations across the US, so anxiety should be kept to a minimum. Plus, most EV drivers simply charge at home overnight.
We'll see the electric SUV start shipping into Volvo dealers later this year, but if this isn't your cup of tea, sleep well knowing the brand plans to launch a new EV every year through 2025. And that doesn't count what cousin division Polestar has up its sleeve, either.
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