How to replace the car battery on a Volvo C40 Recharge
Most people will know that an electric car is powered by a giant battery in the floor but may not be aware that the normal day-to-day equipment in the car does not run on this battery but rather a normal 12v car battery that will need to be replaced at some stage.
Electrical challenge
Swedish automaker Volvo has moved very quickly towards its full electric future, with a very large portion of its models now being completely electric. Newly released models such as C40 Recharge, offer consumers a decent range, performance and features. The actual underworkings of an EV may confuse the layman, and many may not be aware that it has many of the same systems that a normal ICE vehicle does.
Related: Volvo C40 Quick Review Video
The 12V battery powers the car's primary electrical system, which includes most of the electrical equipment. However, the high voltage battery is used when the car is run on the electric motor. The battery is dimensioned to power the electrical system and functions that are specific to the car model. Under normal conditions, it is kept charged by the larger high-voltage battery.
Do not touch
The 12V battery is located in the forward storage area where one would normally find the petrol engine. With one look it is easy to see that Volvo never intended for DIY enthusiasts to poke around under the bonnet. The battery is buried beneath a host of plastic covers and is not easily accessible.
Volvo themselves highly recommend taking the vehicle to an authorised workshop to do work of this nature, as the vehicle needs to be connected to a diagnostic computer to reset the control modules after any work is done, and these machines are not available to the public. There is also the very real danger of electric shock if the wrong cable is touched, and for this reason, we are going to follow Volvo's advice and recommend taking the vehicle to an experienced technician.
