Three Reasons The 2023 Volvo C40 Recharge Stands Out

If you’re on the lookout for the latest and greatest in battery electric vehicle (BEV) tech, then look no further than the Volvo C40 Recharge. This skookum crossover-coupe is the second entry for Volvo in the BEV space after the XC40, so it has the benefit of that car’s real-world testing to help it compete with the best of the best in the segment. Here are three ways it’s able to do so.

It’s Electric

Power for the C40 comes courtesy of two electric motors – one mounted up front, one in the rear – which combine to provide AWD as well as over 400 horsepower and 486 pound-feet of torque. Power delivery is instantaneous thanks to there being no traditional transmission on-board to filter out the power delivery. It’s just straight electrons to the wheel, all the time.

It’s eye-catching

Where do we start, really? The contrast-colour roof? Thor’s Hammer DRLs? Colour choices? The C40 Recharge’s tall-ish ride height and cabin suggests crossover or crossover coupe, but its steeply-raked rear window, aggressive wheel choices and signature head- and taillamps leave somewhat less to the imagination. The real highlight, however, is the C40’s take on the traditional Volvo vertical taillamp. They’re still somewhat vertical here, but since the rear window angle is so aggressive, they’ve had to follow suit.

It's sustainable

The C40 Recharge gets a completely leather-free interior, and those carpets? Well, they’re actually crafted from partially recycled materials. It’s all in the name of a more sustainable design practice and it does well to compliment the other naturalist twists surrounding the C40 Recharge, such as one of the colours being named “Fjord Blue” and the various interior panel inserts that are styles to look like topographical maps. So not only are you driving emissions-free, you’re in a vehicle that is built with a similar frame of mind.