Older stock muscle cars aren’t going to be able to keep up with Volvo’s 2022 C40 Recharge and spirited performance is just the beginning of the C40’s charm.
The C40 Recharge is Volvo’s second production pure-EV, which follows the XC40 Recharge electric SUV. The C40 is styled more like a hatchback sedan.
The C40 Recharge has an EPA-estimated range of 226 miles per charge. It’s two motors produce a total of 402-horsepower and 486 lb-ft of torque.
It’s surprisingly fast. If I gun it, it does throw me back a bit. It’s official 0-60 mph time is 4.5 seconds but I have seen some automotive journalists report they beat that time. By comparison, my old V8-powered 2001 Pontiac Ram Air Trans Am convertible had a 0-60 time of more than 5 seconds.
The C40 Recharge weighs 4,700 pounds but its driving dynamics make it seem lighter with nice, flat cornering and a playful nature in the handling department.
The C40’s styling reminds me of the Polestar 2, which is Volvo’s sister EV brand.
AutomotiveAddicts.com founder Malcolm Hogan said he was impressed with the C40 Recharge during his time with the EV.
“My favorite thing is actually the color, the Fjorn Blue metallic, as they call it, and the looks of it. I think the styling is great. It doesn’t look like a typical hybrid or some of the funky-styled EVs out there, but the styling of it is pretty spot on.”
Malcom adds, it’s not perfect. “I think some of the downfalls, unfortunately, are you know, the infotainment system was just not as user-friendly as I like it to be, just a lot of little quirks.”
EV Rider also experienced a few quirks with the Volvo’s Android Automotive infotainment system. The play/pause button on two of the apps flickered from time to time, although the same apps worked perfectly during another trip on the same day.
Perhaps the biggest issue with the C40’s infotainment system is it doesn’t include HD Radio, which means depending on where you live you could be missing out on a dozen or more free local channels.
New cars equipped with HD Radios are capable of receiving digital-only broadcast stations. For example, the NPR station in Jacksonville has three additional HD Radio music channels that the C40 can’t receive.
Back to the pluses, the C40 Recharge has a very nice dashboard implementation of Google maps on its 12.3-inch gauge cluster, in addition to being able to view Google Maps on the infotainment screen.
The C40 Recharge uses Android Automotive, which is a deeper integration than the Android Auto option that many cars have. For iPhone users, the C40 also supports Apple Car Play.
If you just like to drive without messing with the fine tuning that some cars offer, then you’ll like the C40 Recharge. There aren’t a bunch of driving modes such as eco, sport and touring. You just get in and go. The same holds true for one-pedal driving. You turn it on or off with no varying levels of regen.
The EPA estimates that the Volvo C40 Recharge gets the equivalent of 94 miles per gallon in the city and 80 mpg on the highway. Again, this is the equivalent mpg since this is an EV. The EPA provides MPGe ratings for EVs to help consumers directly compare them to their gasoline counterparts.
The C4 Recharge comes with a 78 kWh battery, with 75 kWh being usable. Volvo decided to go with a fairly small battery buffer. As a result, Volvo recommends only charging the C40 Recharge to 90% for daily driving, saving 100% charging for road trips where the full range is needed.
The C40 Recharge’s interior is practical with the usual storage bins, wireless smartphone charging and comfortable, supportive front seats. The back seats are also comfortable and have plenty of leg and head space for anyone under 6-feet tall. Taller back seat passengers may find the headroom a little tight.
When it comes to hauling stuff, you’ll find a nice flat floor with the rear-seats folded down. There’s also storage under the rear compartment.
Although it’s not as big as some of its competitors, the C40 Recharge also includes a frunk where the engine would normally go in a gas-powered car.
As is the trend with many EVs lately, the C40 Recharge includes a non-opening panoramic glass roof without a sunshade. The tinting of the glass was effective enough that even a sunny 95 degree Jacksonville day wasn’t a bother. But if you are sensitive to the sun, just realize the C40 doesn’t come with a sunshade, although perhaps the aftermarket will offer one at some point, as is the case with other EVs like the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Tesla Model 3.
Among the vehicles prospective buyers might cross-shop the C40 Recharge with is Hyundai’s Ioniq 5. “The Hyundai is a little more luxurious in a way, it has a little bit more space,” Malcolm said.
Perhaps the Ioniq 5’s biggest advantage over the C40 Recharge is its 235 kW peak charging speed. The Ioniq 5 can go from 10 to 80 percent of charge in 18 minutes. Volvo says the C40 Recharge can go from 10 to 80 percent in 37 minutes.
EV Rider attempted to verify the C40’s peak charging speed but unfortunately the Electrify America station we stopped at was having issues that limited our charging speed to between 35 and 38 kW, so we couldn’t verify the C40’s peak charging rate.
Two drivers that EV Rider talked to said the station had been having issues for a few weeks. “Sometimes these pumps do not work properly. Usually they have pretty good service,” said a Hodges Ford delivery driver named Dawn. “I do know, I talked to the [Avenues] mall manager, they’re bringing in some more pumps. They are going to bring in more charging stations other than just these,” she added.
EV Rider reached out to Electric America about the charging issues at The Avenues mall location.
Electrify America could not confirm what Dawn was told by mall management but EA spokeswoman Tara Geiger told EV Rider, “Our team is continuing to conduct a thorough review of the chargers at the Jacksonville station, and we are working to get these chargers back to full functionality as soon as possible.”
Getting back to the C40 Recharge, among its other features is adaptive cruise control with limited lane-keeping steering along with over-the-air updates to potentially introduce new features and refine the car’s software.
The C40’s build quality felt top-notch. The C40 Recharge is available in three different trim levels with prices ranging from $58,750 to just under $61,000.