Volvo XC 40 Charge Pure Electric in the first test: What can the expensive city SUV do? – Testing

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Site had the opportunity to test the electrical variant of the Volvo XC40. Our test report shows how well the 408 hp electric drive from the Polestar 2 harmonizes with the compact SUV, and how the highway range is.

The XC 40 is well received: In the circle of the booming compact SUVs, the Swede likes the somewhat different design and with special technical solutions. With the plugin hybrid, this is, for example, the strong three-cylinder engine and the limitation to front-wheel drive. The XC 40 trumps with full safety equipment in a very volvo-typical manner, but unfortunately the price of Volvo is also high. What is true for the entire series applies even more to the full-electric variant XC40 P8 calcarge pure electric. The configurator on the Volvo website only shows the monthly rate for the rent of the car, but the basic price was around 62.000 euros – even higher than with the drive -related polestar 2. With our test, however, this price is already waste: the production of the 2021 model year is practically sold out. The born 2022 can be ordered from May. In addition to smaller equipment adjustments, this differs primarily in the price. “Well below 60.000 euros ”promises the Volvo PR for the update.

Competition makes price pressure

The fact that Volvo adapts the price should be due to the new competition that is now pushing onto the market: the VW group alone brings with Skoda Enyak, VW ID.4 and Audi Q4 Three strong alternatives to Volvo, all of which will be significantly below its price, but only offer a weaker motorization (up to 300 hp).

Volvo XC 40 Charge Pure Electric in the first test: What can the expensive city SUV do? - Testing-first
Efahrer / Reitberger Volvo XC 40 Charge Pure Electric in the first test: What can the expensive city SUV do?

Great workmanship, high security

A lot can be expected for the high price – and the XC40 does not disappoint the first impression: high -quality materials are flawlessly processed, doors and hoods are filling. Volvo fans get their money’s worth here. You can also discover the valuable things with a second glance: everything that the Volvo kit is offering electronic safety functions is installed in the compact SUV, i.e. pedestrian, emergency brake, cross-traffic assistants, which are also active when parked backwards.

An adaptive speed control would match the complete assistance equipment and the self-imposed speed restriction of 180 km/h, which automatically takes over speed limits. Such assistants have long outgrown the luxury class and can be ordered down to the golf class. At Volvo, however, the option is missing, just like with Polestar. This is a gap that the Swedes should close.

Volvo XC 40 Charge Pure Electric in the first test: What can the expensive city SUV do? - Testing-volvo
Efahrer / Reitberger Volvo XC 40 Charge Pure Electric in the first test: What can the expensive city SUV do?

Android automotive with app connection

The insider recognizes the symbol of the Google Playstore in the high-edge-placed central display that Android Automotive is at work here. As in Polestar 2, there is theoretically the opportunity to choose from thousands of apps and to use them directly on the touchscreen. The selection is practically limited by the fact that the app developers have to release their programs for the car first. The most important app is pre-installed: Google Maps with its ingenious integration of real-time traffic data in Volvo uses car data such as the current consumption and the battery level, and can thus offer very good charging planning. In addition, there is probably soon the option of using the "A Better Route Planner" app, which has now been activated for Polestar 2.

In the case of the setting options, however, the Volvo is noticeably limited compared to Polestar 2: Most assistance functions can only be switched on and off, the menu depths are much lower than with the polestar. Because the assistants work very well, this is not a disturbing restriction.

Strong driving performance, good comfort

Like the polestar, the XC40 starts by kicking the brake and putting on a driving level. This is followed by a decent move: Although the XC40 weighs well over two tons, it accelerates with the two permanent magnet engines-free and powerful. Just under five seconds pass up to the 100 mark, on the highway the controlled top speed of 180 km/h is reached in no time. Dealing with the performance is very playful: compared to the polestar, the XC40 remains absolutely on the safe side as far as the coordination is concerned. There is no sports mode for stability control. Nevertheless and despite the side inclination in curves, the Volvo feels agile and good. At higher speeds, the acoustic comfort is excellent: there are only moderate wind noise and on the test car the winter tires were by far the loudest. In addition there is the very good feeling of space in series one and the decent space on the rear seats. The Volvo is just a karm.

High power consumption, weak range

However, the low wind noise cannot hide the fact that the XC40 is opposed to the air properly. Not only the relatively bad CW coefficient of 0.29 is responsible for this, but also the large forehead area. The XC40 is wider and higher than VW Tiguan, BMW X1, Mercedes GLA and Co. All in all, this does not allow a good good for the motorway consumption – and in fact the consumption display set out at the test drive at 1 130 at approx. 30 kWh per 100 kilometers. In addition to the loading losses that do not display the on-board computers, there would be a gross current consumption of at least 32 kWh / 100 km, i.e. more than an Audi e-tron or your Mercedes EQC and significantly more than a Tesla Model X. However, all of these cars offer considerably more space than the Volvo, which, with its length of 4.42 meters, marks the lower end of the compact SUVs, and which therefore only has a good 400 liters of trunk volume.

Tesla-Messlatte not reached

With this motorway consumption, despite the 78 kWh battery, there is a mathematical range of only 250 kilometers. A detailed assessment of the XC 40 consumption, in particular, for example, of the country road consumption and the ranges, has to provide a detailed test, but it is already to be feared: the XC 40 is shared of the most pronounced weakness with its cousin Polestar 2. If you have to take long distances under your bikes more often, you have to go to the charging station much more often with the Volvo than with a Tesla Model 3 or Y. With a maximum of 150 kW charging power, the Volvo finally invites even longer than the Teslas.

Hopefully this will make a new basic model of the Elektro-XC-40 in the future: Without all-wheel drive and with a smaller battery, it should be significantly cheaper, at the same time the trunk should be larger and the consumption should be more moderate. However, it should still be possible until the introduction of the entry model: Volvo’s order books are well filled, so the Swedes have no need yet.

Conclusion: The XC40 is a likeable car, among the compact SUVs it represents an interesting alternative. The size and range of the Volvo do not match the price. With the steadily growing competition, the Swedes should therefore find it difficult to conquer and hold a large electrical market share.

This article was written by Josef Reitberger
The original to this post "Volvo XC 40 Charge Pure Electric in the first test: What can the expensive city SUV do?" comes from site.

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