Johannesburg - Volvo is set to expand its electric car range in South Africa with the new C40 Recharge, which will hit local showrooms during the first half of 2023.
Pricing and specifications will be revealed closer to launch, the importer said this week.
The C40 is Volvo’s first electric car to have a unique body style, but it is in essence a ‘coupe SUV’ variant of the XC40 Recharge, complete with a lower and sleeker roof line.
The twin-motor powertrain places an electric motor on each axle for all-wheel drive dynamics and peak outputs of 300kW and 660Nm, allowing the EV to sprint from 0-100km/h in just 4.7 seconds.
The C40’s 78 kWh battery offers an estimated range of around 420km between charges and connected to a fast charger, it can be charged to 80 percent within 40 minutes, Volvo claims.
And vegans listen up, this is the first Volvo model to be completely free of leather. Other than that the cabin is largely as per the XC40, and also comes with an Android-powered infotainment system with built-in Google apps and services.
Volvo Car SA Managing Director Greg Maruszewski expects the new C40 Recharge to be popular among local EV buyers.
“Our initial allocations of both the XC40 Recharge and XC40 Recharge Twin were snapped up in double-quick time. We expect the new C40 Recharge to resonate just as strongly with South Africans looking to switch to battery-powered vehicles,” Maruszewski said.
And you can expect to see a lot more where that came from, given that Volvo is planning to become all-electric by 2030, with half of its car sales to comprise of EVs by as soon as 2025.
The recently unveiled Volvo EX90 flagship SUV is also on its way to South Africa, although exact timing has yet to be confirmed.