The Volvo C40 Recharge is the EV version of that boxy, friendly Volvo we all know and love.

Volvo’s first electric SUV looks familiar.

There is a long list of electric SUVs coming out this year.

As more and more electric drive compact SUVs become available, the choices will become more difficult to make. Not only Tesla but Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, Fisker, Mazda, Toyota…

That’s where the Volvo C40 Recharge comes in with a new type of car from Volvo – fully electric without the same gas. It is a vehicle designed as an EV first and foremost. But it’s still a Volvo in its analog design elements, with a focus on durable materials, a Google-based infotainment system and an overall aesthetic — even if it lacks the traditional grille inside. forward (no more engines). It still has that boxy look that we all know as a Volvo and continues to carry the Swedish automaker’s safety reputation. Its design stands out from any other Volvo box, mainly because of the sloping rear, but not enough to doubt that this is a Volvo SUV.

Although it’s not a station wagon from Volvo’s glory days, the C40 Recharge is another great car that has family excitement. Volvo looked at the SUV segment(opens in a new tab) and the C40 Recharge fits right in as a compact, sporty option. It reaches up to 112 mph and with two motors it can handle rough terrain with all-wheel drive.

Its 226-mile range isn’t the most competitive EV battery capacity (Tesla Model Y and X SUVs can reach more than 300 miles), but it knows its audience. It is for families who need a car to run errands, go to errands or cross town for play. Over 200 miles on a charge is a lot. Most charging is done at home while traveling on the road. (Up to 80 percent(opens in a new tab) (The charge is at home, according to the US Department of Energy.)

Riding the Fjord Blue C40 Recharge over the desert hills of Palm Springs, California earlier this month, I was proud of my five-mile regeneration at several thousand feet. On the way up, the road signs suggested turning off the AC to help the engine run, and I felt the stirring of my battery-powered machine that I knew would restore the energy lost on the way down.

After a full day of driving around Palm Springs, including an architectural driving tour of 10 different homes (it was easy after connect places on google maps(opens in a new tab)) and an emergency trip to Best Buy, I had more than 30% battery left.

Several times a day I found myself driving behind or next to another Volvo and the C40 Recharge fit right in. It fits easily into the Volvo family, especially as the Swedish company is committing to more electric vehicles. A charging port, frunk (the front trunk where the engine used to be in petrol Volvos) and a new grille will soon be expected features of any Volvo.

The C40 Recharge represents the company’s shift towards electric vehicles, but it seems the familiar Volvo sound isn’t going anywhere.