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Volvo C40 - the taillights are also reminiscent of Thor's hammer
Photo: Christian Bittmannp / Volvo
The first impression:
Another crossover SUV, yawn. Second impression: awesome. So Thor's hammer, that's the name of the Volvo front lights, after the miracle weapon of the Nordic deity. In the case of the C40, the association is also evident at the rear. As with all SUVs and station wagons from the Scandinavians, the raised taillights are even more noticeable along the coupé line and loosely pass through as a glittering tool of the gods. During the stopover at the Atomium in Brussels, that is what catches the sight of the tourists strolling by.
This is
what
the manufacturer says:
Volvo would like to open a “new chapter in the company's history”. Four years ago, earlier than their competitors, the Scandinavians shouted out loud that they no longer wanted to sell combustion engines by 2030 at the latest. But then they left the e-revolution to the young sister brand Polestar for the time being. The wave of announcements has only been followed by a fully electric model, the XC 40 Recharge. The C40 is now the second. Its official name is so long that almost every property appears in the name: Volvo C40 Recharge Pure Electric.
The new design, new eco-friendly materials and the new distribution channel also point to the future of the entire brand, say the Volvo managers. Like all future electric models, the car can only be bought online - for a whopping 62,000 euros - or by subscription from 699 euros per month with a three-month notice period. The dealerships are not being demolished right now, they are offering advice and test drives.
When designing the lines of the 4.33 meter long and 1.58 meter high crossover SUV, the designers took their bearings from an icon of Volvo history: the legendary P1800 sports car. The "distinctive shoulder line with the characteristic kink" of the SUV is just as reminiscent of the sports coupé as the roof line sloping towards the rear. Really now? If chief designer Robin Page, who used to draw for Bentley, did not specifically point this out, this historical parallel would have disappeared. But it's a nice story for the advertising department.
The manufacturer also praises the new interior materials made from recycled plastic and microtech textiles, for example. The carpets, for example, are made from PET bottles; there are around 70 per car. You won't find seats covered with cow leather in the price list, this is also a first. A leather-free 2.2-ton SUV is a bit like a vegan hunting party, but should fit the conflicting needs of many car buyers relatively well.
We noticed:
where is the start button? There is no. All you have to do is move the gearshift lever to forward or reverse and accelerate. In addition, except in emergencies, the brake pedal is almost superfluous: even for electric novices, single-pedal driving takes less getting used to than it sounds. If the driver takes his foot off the accelerator, the Volvo brakes noticeably more than with other electric cars. This recovers energy and charges the battery a little. In addition, it is more relaxed to drive than with both pedals. If you don't like that, you can turn this mode off.
It is also less relaxed. With the accelerator depressed, the four-wheel-drive Volvo slams forward on the Belgian country roads in a drag-race manner, so that the passenger looks as if you've lost your mind. 100 km / h is reached in 4.7 seconds, and the top speed is limited to 180 km / h. The single-stage automatic gearbox transmits the power of the engines with a whirring sound, the power steering and the chassis adjust to the mood of the driver, the faster, the tighter.
Since the new e-cars of most brands are now equally mature and drive in a similar way, the differences to the competition are manageable. The drive is hardly suitable as a unique selling point across manufacturers. E-technology usually makes you forget the height and weight of the vehicle; you can only feel both in fast, long curves.
On the highway, the computer does most of the work. The Pilot Assist not only pays attention to the set speed, but bundles all common assistance systems, controls the distance to the vehicle in front by changing pace, maintains the lane, steers and reports quickly when the driver takes his or her hands off the wheel. Only the fingertips on the steering wheel do not allow the strict steering angle sensor to apply. The semi-autonomous system also works at lower speeds below 50 km / h, which is where Volvo has a development lead over many of its competitors.
What traditionally distinguishes the Swedes should also apply to the C40: The cars should be among the safest on the streets. This not only applies to the occupants, but also to other road users thanks to cameras and sensors. At intersections, the car not only recognizes other vehicles but also bicycles and brakes automatically in an emergency. Volvo was the first manufacturer in the world to introduce the previous system. The manufacturer refers to a study by the US Institute for Road Safety, according to which the number of accidents with injuries falls by 56 percent with the refined system.
If pedestrians suddenly step onto the lane, the automatic braking system should prevent a collision or at least reduce the speed at higher speeds so that the accident is less serious.
The car also sounds the alarm when entering and exiting a parking space, if pedestrians could be overlooked, and brakes itself if the driver does not react.
If another vehicle rushes in from behind, the collision system warns its drivers by flashing quickly, while at the same time the computer tightens the active seat belts of the occupants to reduce the risk of cervical vertebrae injuries.
The list of such security features is more than 15 pages long for the C40.
Almost all of them are built in as standard.
The battery is also well protected by a housing made of extruded aluminum.
The crumple zone is designed to absorb the energy and protect the battery in the event of a collision.
You have to know that:
The C40 is the young brother of the older bestseller XC40.
Both come from the factory in Ghent, Belgium, and both are based on the CMA platform from Volvo and parent company Geely, which is also used by Polestar and Lynk.
Two electric motors, one at the front and one at the rear, together generate 408 hp.
Volvo specifies the maximum range on one battery charge at 444 kilometers.
This puts the Volvo in the middle between its competitors Mercedes EQA and Tesla Model Y. The battery can be quickly charged from ten to 80 percent in 37 minutes.
The rear trunk has a capacity of 413 liters thanks to the coupé design, a little less than the almost square XC40, while 31 liters fit into the storage space under the front hood at the front. As with Volvo subsidiary Polestar, Android runs on the touchscreen in the center console, including all Google functions such as the Maps service. The interior largely corresponds to that of the XC40 plus some new design elements and is simply Scandinavian designed for functionality. The touchscreen in the center console is nine inches, the digital instrument display is 12.3 inches.
We will not forget that:
Narrow streets, historic houses, partly car-free inner city and bicycle columns as far as the eye can see - driving a spacious SUV in Ghent takes chutzpah, even if it is being built nearby.
It helps against ubiquitous eye rolling and head shaking in the morning bike rush hour.