2023 Volvo C40 Recharge gets Malaysian debut - RM289k for 408PS, 660Nm, 450km range

To close out a fruitful 2022, Volvo Car Malaysia has just launched the C40 Recharge Pure Electric, their second fully electric model to grace the line-up after the XC40 Recharge made its local debut in March of this year.

The C40 arrives in a single dual-motor variant (P8 AWD equivalent) priced from RM288,888, but is also significant as Volvo strengthens its position as the only automaker right now that’s able to sell locally assembled fully electric cars here.

Other marques from Europe, Japan, and China have only gone so far as to make ambitious promises and have assembled plug-in hybrid models within our borders while Volvo has been walking the walk with CKD full EVs for over 6 months.

Characterised by its lower-slung coupe-like silhouette, the 5-door crossover certainly doesn’t rewrite the book on Volvo styling. There’s the usual Thor’s hammer LED headlights, gloss black R-Design accents, and 19-inch dual-tone alloys (a welcome new pattern this time) wearing Pirelli P Zero Elect tyres in staggered sizes.

Exterior colour options are: Black Stone, Thunder Grey, Crystal White, Fjord Blue, and Sage Green.

In fact, from most angles besides rearward, the C40 is nearly indistinguishable from the XC40 on which it’s based, itself underpinned by the shared Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) platform that’s shared with other models within the Geely umbrella.

Even in terms of specifications the C40 Recharge reads like a facsimile of the XC40 Recharge. Dual electric motors at either axle provide all wheel traction and produce a combined output of 408PS and 660Nm of torque for a 0-100km/h sprint in just 4.7 seconds.

Sandwiched between them are an array of batteries with a rated capacity of 78kWh, giving the C40 a real world range estimate of up to 450km based on the WLTP cycle (about a 30km increase over the XC40 Recharge, probably thanks to its more aerodynamic shape). AC charging is supported via Type 2 connector (supplied with purchased) at a maximum of 11kW while DC charging via CCS2 goes up to 150kW.

Volvo says that charging from an AC input should take around 7.5 hours, making it ideal for an overnight replenishment, while a 0-80% charge via DC input at 150kW should take just under half an hour.

Inside there’s more of the familiar with Volvo’s famed mixed of premium material and Scandinavian design sensibility. Inclusion of the R-Design package means the imitation leather seats are matched with an Alcantara-like microsuede material (Nubuck).

Other highlights include a panoramic glass roof, wireless phone charger, large 9-inch vertically-oriented infotainment display running Google Android software which pipes audio to a 14-speaker Harman Kardon stereo as well as a fully digital instrument cluster.

Being a Volvo, the C40 Recharge naturally comes with a bevy of safety features, of both the passive and active variety. Their City Safety Suite consists of Collision Avoidance & Mitigation (AEB with pedestrian, cyclist, animal, and intersection support), front/rear collision warning, Lane Keep Assist, Blind Spot Monitoring, cross traffic alert with automatic braking, and a 360-degree camera system.

In terms of the marketplace it's facing off, the most direct rival to the C40 would still be - like the XC40 - the Mercedes-Benz EQA despite its more traditional SUV-esque roofline. BMW are also suspected to be readying the iX1 for a Malaysian debut while Lexus is similarly absent, for the moment, their UX300e in the local range.

Each Volvo C40 Recharge comes with a 5 year unlimited mileage manufacturer warranty inclusive of 5 years (or 100,000km) complementary Volvo Service and an 8 year (or 160,000km) battery warranty. The car will only be available for online booking at Volvo Car Malaysia’s website starting at 8pm tonight.