Volvo's Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) has arrived
So far, 2022 has seen an unprecedented number of BEVs launched to the local market, one of which is Volvo's XC40 P8 Recharge. Despite a proposed introduction in early Q4 of 2021, the global microchip shortage has meant that production delays have resulted in the first customer cars only arriving midway through January 2022. We were invited by Volvo South Africa to visit Tom Camphor Motors in Johannesburg, where Managing Director Greg Maruszewski introduced us to the all-electric machine ahead of its scheduled delivery to its new owner.
It is rare to have a dedicated time slot for one-on-one time with someone as busy as Greg, so we jumped at the opportunity to have a casual, informal discussion about the XC40 and indeed, electric cars in general. The Swedish brand is set to be all-electric by 2030, and when we asked Mr Maruszewski about the other four electric models that the brand has coming to global markets, he confirmed that we will be getting several of these in South Africa too.
Volvo has a bold strategy whereby it is targeting that half of its global sales will comprise of EV-based products by 2025. South Africa is quite different in this regard, with 2021 being the final year where you could walk into a Volvo dealership and purchase a new diesel-powered vehicle. For those of you unaware of this, you can now only purchase a new Volvo locally with a petrol engine, a petrol engine with mild-hybrid technology, a petrol engine with a hybrid battery system or a fully electric car. With this in mind, our discussion was as much about EVs as it was about hybrids, as Maruszewski is in agreement that South Africans may find the transition from traditional petrol and diesel cars to a hybrid of some description easier than a full swap to electric mobility.
More about the XC40 P8 Recharge
Since the XC40 rides on the brand's SPA modular architecture, there have always been plans for the XC40 and its larger siblings to be EVs. The 79kWh battery pack slots in neatly below the occupants' seats and does not negatively affect the luggage room, in fact, there is now a 'frunk' or 'froot' where the internal combustion engine is traditionally found, offering 31-litres of space, or just about enough for a charging cable. The boot retains its 414-litre capacity and will offer 1 290-litres with the rear seats folded flat. Aside from the badging, the only real clue that the P8 is different from its petrol sibling is the blanked-off, body-coloured front grille. Keen observers will also note some changes inside, where the model receives the latest Google-based infotainment system and new digitised instrument cluster, said to improve the user experience dramatically.
The aforementioned battery pack endows the P8 with a claimed 418km of driving range, however, claimed range figures need to be tested in local conditions to see how accurate they are, so we will be conducting a road test in future. In addition to the reasonable range, there is also 300kW and 660Nm of torque, which despite the over 2.1-tone kerb weight, means the P8 is brisk, getting from zero to 100km/h in 4.9 seconds and on to a limited top speed of 180km/h. Since the Recharge offers so much more performance than other XC40 models, its braking system and suspension setup have been upgraded accordingly.
The retail price for the P8 Recharge is R1 200 000, and this includes the installation of a home charger, a 5-year/100 000km maintenance plan, an 8-year/160 000km battery warranty, three years' worth of comprehensive insurance and the use of a petrol-powered XC40 for two weeks of the year, should the owner wish to go on an extended trip and not have to worry about charging. There are no optional extras in the P8 Recharge as the Volvo decided to release the car fully specified, with the only option being the colour pallet.
