The future of Volvo Cars is electric and the new Volvo C40 Recharge is the latest manifestation of its commitment to a zero-emission future.
The C40 Recharge has all the benefits of an SUV but with a lower and sleeker design. It is based on the CMA vehicle platform and the first Volvo model in history designed as pure electric only.
Greg Maruszewski, managing director at Volvo Car South Africa, said the launch of the Volvo C40 Recharge marks yet another significant step when it comes to Volvo Cars’ commitment to minimising its environmental impact and making the cities of the future cleaner.
“Volvo Cars is focused on reducing the carbon emissions of both its products as well as its operations. We have placed electrification at the core of our future business. This strategy is not only about saving the planet. It is also about the customer. South Africans are increasingly demanding electrified cars and we want to respond to our customers’ current and future needs,” he explains.
Those needs include a vehicle that is not only environmentally friendly but also elegant and stylish.
“All modern Volvo cars boast styling that takes traditional Scandinavian design cues – such as clean, simple lines and controlled surfaces – and combines them with classic proportions and striking details to create a distinctive range of premium cars,” says Maruszewski.
“Add interiors that feature the finest natural materials, skilled craftsmanship and lots of natural light, and any Volvo is a luxurious, elegant, relaxing place in which to travel. Precisely the same will apply to our range of electric cars.”
The next step in Volvo’s local electrification journey takes place this month when the company announces the launch of the XC40 Recharge Pure Electric into South Africa.
“While launch plans for the Volvo C40 Recharge in the South African market have yet to be finalised, we are delighted to bring our first all-electric car to this country. It is a very important step in our plans to sell only pure electric cars by 2030,” says Maruszewski.
Following the introduction of the XC40 Recharge and now the C40 Recharge, Volvo Cars will roll out several additional electric models in coming years.
Already by 2025, it aims for 50 per cent of its global sales volume to consist of fully electric cars, with the rest hybrids. By 2030, it plans for every car it sells to be pure electric.
“The C40 Recharge represents the future of Volvo and shows where we are going,” said Henrik Green, chief technology officer.
“It is fully electric, offered online only with a convenient care package and will be available for quick delivery. Getting a new Volvo was never this attractive.”
Like the XC40 Recharge, the C40 Recharge comes with one of the best infotainment systems on the market, jointly developed with Google and based on the Android operating system. It provides consumers with Google apps and services built-in, such as Google Maps, Google Assistant and the Google Play Store.
Unlimited data enables superior connectivity and the C40 Recharge will receive software updates over the air. That means it will continue to improve over time after it has left the factory.
As announced earlier today, the fully electric C40 Recharge will be available online only. In line with its ambition of reducing complexity in its model offering and focus on attractive pre-selected variants, Volvo Cars has drastically simplified the consumer offering of the C40 Recharge.
