Volvo has extended its electric car offering with XC40 P6
Electric cars are coming in hot and fast and manufacturers are pushing them into the market just about monthly. While we see the advantages considering the current fuel price there are still questions around whether or not they will be a viable solution. Volvo has just expanded its all-electric XC40 Recharge range with the new P6. Here is what you need to know.
What we like about the XC40 recharge is the fact that it shares the same design as the fossil fuel powered model. This means that you don't get any drastic designs that we have come to see on other models from other brands. The XC40 P6 still looks like an XC40 albeit with a few bespoke design changes. These include a closed front grille as well as ‘Recharge’ badging on the rear C pillar. Overall the XC40 looks good, current yet not overly shocking in its design.
The P6 features a single electric unit which is permanently sealed and maintenance free mounted at the front. With peak outputs of 170 kW and 330 Nm, the new front-wheel-drive variant offers lively performance, completing the obligatory 0-100 km/h sprint in just 7.4 seconds.
Thanks to a low-mounted, high-voltage 69 kWh lithium-ion battery, the P6 Recharge is able to travel up to 423 km* on a single charge. Fitted with a powerful 11 kW onboard charger as standard, the vehicle provides competitive charging capabilities whether plugging in at home or at public points.
The XC40 P6 Recharge utilises a shift-by-wire, single-speed transmission featuring a short gear ratio, resulting in sprightly off-the-line acceleration, improved hill-climbing ability and increased towing capacity (which matches that of the twin-motor model at 1 500 kg braked).
Just like the twin-motor version, the XC40 P6 Recharge serves up tremendous on-road refinement, yet still boasts more than enough power to be exceedingly fun to drive. In addition, its high level of energy efficiency results in a usable range in excess of 400km, all with the benefits of zero tailpipe emissions.
We here at AutoAdvisor are excited to sample this new offering when it arrives for evaluation. While electric cars pose a good alternative to fossil fuel we need to ensure that our government and infrastructure is up to the task.
