Volvo electrification: XC40 RECHARGE debuts, 90 series evolves

Electrification is the main theme of Volvo’s future

There are more and more new energy products and the types are becoming more and more abundant. I don’t know who still remembers that Volvo was one of the first car companies to announce that it would completely enter the electrification era? As early as three years ago, Volvo announced that it would achieve comprehensive electrification. At this year’s Beijing Auto Show, Volvo’s first domestic electrified product, the XC40 RECHARGE, arrived.

In fact, Volvo released the XC40 RECHARGE overseas last year. This new car was born on the CMA architecture (the same platform as Polestar 2) and is the Volvo brand's first pure electric model. The reason why I want to mention Polestar? 2 is, firstly, to tell everyone that it is the first pure electric model of the Volvo brand, and secondly, to say that Polestar? 2 has quite excellent performance, so the performance of XC40? RECHARGE is also worth looking forward to (not to mention It looks like an SUV).

Let’s talk about this XC40? RECHARGE.

It has a familiar appearance design, familiar lines, and familiar Thor’s hammer, and it is not very different from the fuel version of the XC40. Like most pure electric models, it uses a closed grille, which is placed together with a large bumper. This closed front grille is a bit good-looking.

When you open the hood, what you see is not the power unit and the orange high-voltage wire, but a storage space with a good capacity. It can be seen that Volvo wants this car to have good practicality.

The same goes for the sides and rear, which are not much different from the fuel version. There is the word "RECHARGE" in the black area of ??the D-pillar to indicate the identity. Other than that, there is not much difference from the fuel version. Of course, because it is purely electric, you can’t see the exhaust pipe at the rear of the car.

The interior also follows the design of the fuel model, but the biggest change is also in the car, which is the central control screen. Although it looks similar, intelligence has become a highlight of XC40 RECHARGE.

The overseas version of XC40? RECHARGE is equipped with the native Android car system, and also uses Google voice assistant, Google Maps and other services. Domestic models are also equipped with the Android car system. The difference is that the voice system is changed to iFlytek, and the map is the Amap map that we are more accustomed to using.

So from the current point of view, native Android should bring a car-machine experience similar to that of a mobile phone, so its intelligence will be one of the main selling points. Such changes are actually good news for the Volvo brand, because the previous car functions are indeed rich and comprehensive, but the UI and operating logic are not really convenient, and the native Android car system can easily solve this problem. question.

Next, let’s talk about the performance of XC40 RECHARGE that everyone is more concerned about.

It uses a dual-motor drive mode, located on the front and rear axles respectively, to achieve four-wheel drive, so there is the word AWD under the P8 at the rear. The two motors can provide a maximum power output of 300kW and 660N·m, and the acceleration time from 100 kilometers to 100 kilometers is only 4.9 seconds.

The battery is laid flat on the bottom of the car, and its 78kWh capacity can provide it with a driving range of 408km under WLTP conditions. Because WLTP battery life is stricter than NEDC, this can basically be regarded as its performance in daily use. Most fuel vehicles with a displacement of 2.0T have an urban range of about 400km+ on a tank of fuel, so for most people there is no issue of range anxiety.

As soon as these data are listed, many people may have discovered the clues. Yes, its power data is quite close to that of Polestar 2, plus they are both CMA architectures, so you understand their relationship.

This is actually good news, because as I mentioned before, the driving experience of Polestar 2 is quite excellent, so the driving experience of XC40 RECHARGE will definitely not be bad. For Volvo, the CMA architecture and Polestar 2 can minimize costs and reduce the research and development cycle, so that XC40 RECHARGE can be launched and launched in a short time.

Some people may ask, in that case, will XC40? RECHARGE and Polestar? 2 be highly similar? In fact, I think this is not a problem that most consumers should worry about. Polestar focuses on sports, while XC40 RECHARGE can be seen from the front trunk that it focuses on daily use, so Volvo will definitely give XC40 RECHARGE a different character. , their styles are actually completely different. Of course, what will not change is the excellent driving experience, because the driving experience does not conflict with daily transportation.

So if we describe the XC40 RECHARGE, first of all, it is definitely an electric car with no obvious shortcomings. Secondly, its driving experience can be expected to be one of the best in its class.

Why XC40? RECHARGE?

The XC40? RECHARGE actually made its global debut in the United States last year. Judging from the market environment in the United States, SUVs are becoming more and more popular. At the same time, the XC40 is also Volvo's most popular product locally. In the Chinese market, SUVs are also the choice of more and more people. The proportion of pure electric SUVs in pure electric models is also increasing. In addition, pure electric models of the XC40 level are more easily accepted by consumers, so Whether it is the Chinese market or the American market, XC40? RECHARGE has undertaken the task of starting the electrification strategy of the Volvo brand.

In 2017, Volvo was the first to shout the slogan of comprehensive electrification. In the past three years, Polestar has launched a plug-in hybrid and a pure electric model. On this basis, Volvo’s move to draw on the experience of its own Polestar 2 and launch the XC40 RECHARGE is undoubtedly a less detour, so as a consumer you can also regard the XC40 RECHARGE as a more mature model. products.

After XC40 RECHARGE, Volvo will maintain a certain rhythm and bring a pure electric model every year. At the same time, RECHARGE has also become a brand-new product system, of which RECHARGE?T is a plug-in hybrid product, while RECHARGE?P is a pure electric model. All 90 series fuel models currently on sale, except for the T8 hybrid, have also been equipped with 48V light hybrid systems, realizing the electrification of the 90 series models.

Don’t forget that Volvo’s goal is to have pure electric models account for 50% of new cars sold in 2025, and to develop into a global zero-climate load benchmark company by 2040. Therefore, under this background, XC40? RECHARGE is particularly important as Volvo's first step towards electrification. At the same time, with the electrification improvement of the 90 series, Volvo is getting closer and closer to the goal of electrification of the entire series.

The picture comes from the official website

This article comes from the author of Autohome Chejiahao and does not represent the views and positions of Autohome.