VM Test Drive: Volvo XC40 Recharge P8 AWD: Finally Electric!

With plug-in hybrids, the Swedes were quick: for years they have been pushing the topic forward and now offer all series with plug options. But for purely electric vehicles, they had to let Polestar take the lead with the "2" before now launching the closely related XC40 P8 AWD, which will soon be followed by other purely electric Volvos. In this case, "P" stands for "Pure", meaning purely electric, and the eight indicates a lot of power, which is delivered by the "AWD" abbreviation. In the XC40, two electric motors deliver 204 horsepower each to the front and rear axles, all 408 horses are gathered between 4,350 and 13,900 rpm. Additionally, a generous 660 Nm of torque is available between 0 and the aforementioned 4,350 rpm. Quite a lot for a compact SUV just over 4.4 meters long, which starts well-equipped at a gross price of €62,000, which is about €52,100 net.

2021 model is already sold out

However, we can immediately reassure: this concerns the almost sold-out 2021 model, which Volvo planned (too) cautiously, so now the 2022 model year is being rolled out, starting slightly more modestly equipped at around €57,000, which is about €47,900 net. Still too expensive? Volvo also plans a mid-term entry version, where the rear electric motor is omitted, resulting in 204 hp and still generous 330 Nm of torque, which might even bring the base version down to around €39,900 gross, which is about €33,530 net. But that is just our speculation.

If needed, it goes from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds

Returning to the strong facts: we immediately believe that the P8 AWD can shoot from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds when needed – thanks to all-wheel drive, there is always enough grip available to instantly convert the abrupt pressure of the accelerator pedal into strong acceleration. On the highway, it continues spiritedly beyond 120 km/h until it is electronically limited at 180 km/h. Unfortunately, the weight is around 2,188 kilograms, about 400 kilograms more than the plug-in hybrid and a good 500 kilograms more than the conventional combustion engines, as the 78 kWh gross battery weighs 300 kilos and must be equipped with a crash-resistant frame. This adds another approximately 200 kilograms due to the modified reinforcements in the fairly empty front, where a generous "frunk" is also present.

The performance values and basic construction are somewhat reminiscent of the larger Mercedes-Benz EQC, which, however, operates in a higher class but also suffers from its combustion engine-derived GLC with additional unnecessary pounds. This "reconstruction" weighs even more heavily on the Audi e-tron, which is fundamentally based on the Q5.

The weights start at 2,188 kilograms

But back to the Volvo, whose weight is also noticeable, yet it drives significantly lighter than the larger premium models. The all-wheel drive is designed so that the front electric motor fundamentally dominates. In curves, the XC40 shifts its power to the rear electric motor, making the X40 more dynamic and allowing it to steer cleanly into bends. Volvo eschewed many programs for the chassis and driving modes and instead opted for a well-tuned electric setup.

This means: it absorbs bumps skillfully, smooths out most irregularities competently, and finds a great synthesis between rolling and one-pedal feeling, i.e., on the highway, it doesn't immediately lose massive speed with every slight lift of the pedal, but in the city, one can drive very foresightedly without the brake pedal – the XC40 will then stop automatically and hold the brakes. It's just a pity that the wind makes quite a noise from 120 km/h onwards, and long fast undulations make the weight of the little powerhouse noticeable, but that’s complaining at a high level.

Moderate efficiency in driving operation: 26.8 kWh/100 km

So you flow along cheerfully and consume around 24 kWh minus x in the city, but also sometimes 27 kWh minus x on the highway. On our 178-kilometer round trip to Lübeck and back, with a high share of highway driving (including many 120 km/h restrictions) we reached 26.8 kWh/100 km, which is not a top value and approximately corresponds to the values of the equally powerful but larger and aerodynamically better Mercedes-Benz EQC. The range of the 75 kWh net battery then shrinks to about 280 kilometers precisely.

Volvo states up to 414 and even up to 530 kilometers in the city according to WLTP standards. If you take it a bit more calmly and the temperatures aren’t too extreme, you can still break the 300-kilometer mark – you can live with that, especially since the battery can be charged back to 80 percent within 40 minutes up to 150 kW. Three-phase AC takes up to 22 hours at 6A, while single-phase charging at a household socket requires up to 72 hours in the worst case until the battery is fully charged again. Therefore, the wallbox is definitely worth it here.

Google speaks well, but not "automotive"

We were also very pleased with the new infotainment system, now provided by Google. It is much easier to use than the old Volvo system, but it cannot handle abstract car commands: If you say, "I'm cold," the XC40 suggests you dress warmer. To increase the temperature in the car, you need to specifically say, "increase the temperature to x degrees" – then the XC40 will do it. The navigation system is also much more intuitive than in the rest of the Volvo family and calculates new routes in real-time in a flash, as it relies on Google Maps with current traffic conditions. A big step for Volvo, though not as consistent as BMW's iDrive or Daimler's MBUX.

And otherwise? The XC40, assembled in Belgium, remains distinctly Scandinavian, well-constructed, but still maintains a slight tactile and visual distance from the larger XC models. For Volvo, the P8 AWD is a huge step, which many customers seemed to have been waiting for. Nonetheless, the Swedes are wise to expand the new "pure" XC40 P-program downward in the future and add four more pure electric vehicles by 2025.

What does it mean?

The XC40 has become the second strong pillar for Volvo worldwide. Therefore, it makes even more sense to finally offer it as a pure electric vehicle as well. Volvo relies more on the attractive muscle car formula "compact car, strong engine(s)," which at least points in the right direction as a start: fun instead of sacrifice and premium instead of pure plastic.

Nevertheless, the XC40 also carries the burden of the "reconstructed combustion engine" design, which requires some compromises, especially in terms of package and weight. But overall, no XC40 is more fun, and with a real range of around 300 kilometers, you can also tackle longer distances, especially since there's plenty of space and trunk room available. That Volvo will later introduce more affordable versions makes perfect sense.