Volvo XC40 Pure Electric – Back to Basics

Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric Single Motor Core – €49,495

‘Volvo XC40 electric’ is probably the only correct way to describe the car in question, at least in the open. We shouldn’t expect from Volvo itself when it comes to that. The all-electric XC40 was originally called the (four-wheel drive) P8 or Recharge P8, then Recharge or Recharge Twin, later ‘Electric Pure Electric’ and now it just depends on where you look. On the website, Volvo talks about ‘XC40 Recharge’ and ‘XC40 Recharge Pure Electric’, but at the top of the price list is the ‘Volvo XC40 Pure Electric’. Anyway: the fully electric XC40, that is.

Volvo offers the electric XC40 in three different versions, which (in the current trend, at least) are known as Single Motor, Single Motor Extended Range and Twin Motor. Single Motor is what it’s all about today, of course. As with the Polestar 2, that single electric motor has been moved from front to rear, so that the car now drives the rear wheel. The update also brings a bit more power with 238 hp, although the Volvo doesn’t match the Polestar’s 272 hp. With a net 66 kWh, the battery is not bigger than before, but the car is more efficient and electric. As a result, the WLTP range is now 460 instead of 425 km, a big difference.

In terms of equipment levels, Volvo keeps it nice and clear again. A version with a smaller battery is available as Core and Plus and the number of different options is limited. Externally, there doesn’t even seem to be any difference between the two variants, both of which get LED lighting all around as standard and are housed in 19-inch light metal. Pixel LED lights, so the articles that shine around oncoming traffic and high light, is optional. The ‘Silver Dawn Metallic’ colour, the only one for which there is no extra charge, is far from ‘basic’. A tinted rear glass is optional, but that’s only good news as far as we’re concerned.

To enter, we first need an unlock key on the key. Keyless entry is reserved for the more expensive variant. The interior is almost completely black. This applies, for example, to the seats covered with fabric, but also to – the panoramic roof – the roof and the decorative strip on the dashboard. If you want more colors or more luxurious upholstery fabrics, you have to pay extra. This is available as a separate option: Alcantara-like MicroTech with blue carpet, a more attractive decorative strip and additional decorative lights cost €1,795 more. Important information: if you don’t buy a car, but start driving through registration, you don’t have to pay an extra cent for this interior. The seats can be adjusted manually, but have an actual seat extender as standard. Cruise control (fixed), dual-zone climate control and a ‘preset’ function – so heating or cooling – are always present. A wireless phone charger, of course.

The base Volvo XC40

In the infotainment area, we see a 12.3-inch instrument panel and the familiar 9-inch vertical touchscreen with Google’s Google Cars environment. The standard audio system also seems perfect and we’re happy with the mirrors, all three of which are of the auto-dimming type. Is there nothing to complain about? Indeed. Apart from the aforementioned sliding roof and ‘keyless entry’, we miss out on heated seats and cruise control, for example. A power tailgate is also nice to have for stealth, though not a must. That can be used for a heat pump, which is also missing from the Core. Upgrading to the Plus version solves most of those ‘problems’, but then you’ve lost at least €53,495. An alternative is to buy the Climate package, which offers a heat pump and seat and steering wheel heating for €1,195. For adaptive cruise control you can switch to the ‘Driver Assist’ package, which is available for the same amount. After looking at both packages, the car costs €51,885 without more options, still less than the Plus. Those who order now will have the electric XC40 Core on their doorstep in January 2024, according to our sources.