The Volvo XC40 Recharge Plug-In Hybrid (SUV): The Complete Electric Car Buying Guide For India

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Electric Cars: The Basics

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For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:

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The Volvo XC40 Recharge Plug-In Hybrid SUV

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Sweden has created its fair share of global brands, but none with a reputation as good as Volvo Cars, when it comes to passenger safety. Volvo cars is an automotive manufacturer based in Gothenburg, Sweden. The Volvo Group has a long history of success and was established in 1927. The Volvo electric vehicle (EV) current portfolio includes:

• All-electric Volvo C40 Recharge (BEV)
• All-electric Volvo EX90 (BEV)
• All-electric Volvo EX30 (BEV)
• All-electric Volvo ES90 (BEV)
• All-electric Volvo XC40 Recharge (BEV)
• Volvo XC40 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV)
• Volvo XC60 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV)
• Volvo XC90 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV)
• Volvo S60 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV)
• Volvo S90 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV)
• Volvo V60 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV)
• Volvo V90 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV)

The Volvo XC40 conventional petrol and diesel variant has been available since 2017. The original XC40 SUV was awarded the prestigious Car of The Year accolade by WhatCar? in 2018.

The Volvo PHEV SUV is worth consideration for families already familiar with the advantages of owning and driving a Volvo car i.e. a fantastic reputation for safety and quality. Of course, the Recharge PHEV further enhances this enviable reputation, given the environment-friendly nature of lower emission plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).

The Volvo plug-in hybrid has a 10.7 kWh onboard EV battery, with a WLTP certified pure electric range up to 46 km. Not the most impressive electric range, but quite typical of many PHEVs in this segment.

The real-world EV range will be lower, possibly closer to 35 km (emission-free). Many factors influence the real-world range, to include: driving style, temperature, elevation, wind, rain, road surface, tyres, onboard services used etc. However, the EV still has much to offer those keen to save money by driving on pure electric mode. A 35 km EV range can be leveraged for city driving and shorter commutes i.e. school-run, high street, grocery shopping and even commuting to work.

Taking advantage of the EV range will also require inculcating a habit of charging the EV on a regular basis, which again is as easy as charging a smartphone. We at e-zoomed discourage the use of a domestic 3-PIN plug for charging an electric car.

A ‘topping up’ approach to charging will help improve the overall efficiency of the electric vehicle and also improve the long-term maintenance of the onboard EV battery. Volvo offers a 8 years or 160,000 km warranty. The PHEV has a 3.6 kW onboard charger and can be fully charged in 3 hours. The PHEV is not capable of DC charging, which is disappointing, given the more premium badge and price tag. Having said that, most plug-in hybrid electric cars are not DC charging compatible.

Of course, driving regularly on the electric mode will further improve the fuel economy of the vehicle i.e. lower motoring costs. The automotive manufacturer claims a fuel economy up to 2.3 l/100km, but achieving anything close to this, will require taking advantage of the e-mode! In any case, the PHEV will deliver a better fuel economy, compared to the conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) variant.

The EV has three driving modes: pure electric, hybrid and power. To achieve maximum vehicle efficiency, we recommend using the pure electric and hybrid mode, as often as possible. Moreover, the pure electric mode offers a more refined and quieter drive.

The performance of the front-wheel drive Volvo XC40 plug-in electric is decent. The electric vehicle (EV) combines a 1.5-litre (three-cylinder) petrol engine with an onboard electric motor, powered by the EV battery. The T5 plug-in hybrid can achieve 0-100 km/h in 7.3 seconds (262 hp/ 425 Nm). The T4 plug-in hybrid can achieve 0-100 km/h in 8.5 seconds (211 hp/ 405 Nm). Both variants deliver a 180 km/h top speed.

The interior cabin is spacious and practical, though the boot space is compromised due to the placement of the onboard EV battery (452 L), but remains useful! The EV offers a host of safety features and technology, to include: 360° parking view, cross traffic alert, blind spot information system, advanced air purifier (prevents up to 80 per cent of hazardous PM 2.5 particles entering the cabin), pre-heat, pre-cool and more! It also offers partially recycled carpets and leather free upholstery.

The EV has claimed tailpipe emissions up to 49g CO2/km. Again, substantially lower than the emissions of the conventional petrol variant. Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet! The Volvo plug-in electric car is not available in India.

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PROS	CONS
Good build and reliable	An expensive PHEV. Cheaper options available
Use of more sustainable materials for the interior cabin	Four-wheel drive not available
Good level of standard equipment and features	Electric range does not inspire

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The Volvo XC40 Recharge Plug-In Hybrid SUV (credit: Volvo)

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At A Glance
EV Type:	Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)
Vehicle Type:	SUV
Engine:	Electric/ Petrol
Available In India:	No

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Trims (1 Option)
Volvo XC40 Recharge (Rs N/A)

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EV Battery & Emissions
EV Battery Type:	Lithium-ion
EV Battery Capacity:	Available in one battery size: 10.7 kWh
Charging:	DC charging not available. Onboard charger: 3.6 kW AC (0% – 100%: 3 hrs)
Charge Port:	Type 2
EV Cable Type:	Type 2
Tailpipe Emissions:	49g – 47g (CO2/km)
Battery Warranty:	8 years or 160,000 km

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Charging Times (Overview)
Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW):	6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC)
Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW):	3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging AC (43 kW):	0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging DC (50 kW+):	0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Ultra rapid charging DC (150 kW+):	0-80% : 20 mins to 40 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Tesla Supercharger (120 kW – 250 kW):	0-80%: up to 25 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)

• Note 1: SoC: state of charge

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Dimensions
Height (mm):	1652
Width (mm):	2034
Length (mm):	4440
Wheelbase (mm):	2702
Turning Circle (m):	11.4
Boot Space (L):	452

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Volvo XC40 T 4 Plug-in Hybrid
EV Battery Capacity:	10.7 kWh
Pure Electric Range (WLTP):	46 km
Electric Consumption (kWh/100km):	15.4
Fuel Consumption (l/100km):	1.1 – 2.3
Charging:	DC charging not available. Onboard charger: 3.6 kW AC (0% – 100%: 3 hrs)
Top Speed:	180 km/h
0-100 km/h:	8.5 seconds
Drive:	Front-wheel drive (FWD)
Electric Motor (kW):	81
Horsepower (hp):	211
Torque (Nm):	405
Transmission:	Automatic
Seats:	5
Doors:	5
Gross Vehicle Weight (kg):	2,290
Colours:	9
NCAP Safety Rating:	Five-Star

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Volvo XC40 T 5 Plug-in Hybrid
EV Battery Capacity:	10.7 kWh
Pure Electric Range (WLTP):	45 km
Electric Consumption (kWh/100km):	15.5
Fuel Consumption (l/100km):	2.1 – 2.3
Charging:	DC charging not available. Onboard charger: 3.6 kW AC (0% – 100%: 3 hrs)
Top Speed:	180 km/h
0-100 km/h:	7.3 seconds
Drive:	Front-wheel drive (FWD)
Electric Motor (kW):	81
Horsepower (hp):	262
Torque (Nm):	425
Transmission:	Automatic
Seats:	5
Doors:	5
Gross Vehicle Weight (kg):	2,290
Colours:	9
NCAP Safety Rating:	Five-Star

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Solar And EV Charging: An Overview

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The benefits of renewable energy, in particular, solar and wind energy, is already well established in India and in other parts of the world. With the increase in sales of electric vehicles (EVs) over the past three years, the advantages of using clean and renewable energy has been further enhanced.

Firstly, on-site renewable energy systems can be used for powering, both, business premises and homes. For on-site generation, we have witnessed a significant increase in distributed clean energy generating plants i.e. many commercial buildings and residential buildings have become generators i.e. generating electricity on-site!  Solar roof projects have been popular for such on-site generation installations.

The war in Ukraine has further amplified the need to develop energy security, not only at a national level, but also at a local level, to include, businesses and households. Those households and businesses that already generate and consume clean energy on-site have been spared the significant onslaught of energy price rise in 2022 and 2023.

Installing solar panels on-site, mitigates the risks associated with energy price inflation, a significant contributor to costs for a business or a household. On-site renewable energy generation also impacts the environment positively. For those with electric vehicles (EVs), in particular, pure electric vehicles, we strongly encourage the use of renewable energy for EV charging. Of course, we also encourage the use of solar energy for charging a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).

Apart from the significant cost benefit i.e. generating renewable energy is a nominal cost per kWh (after initial set-up/ installation costs), to achieve true zero-tailpipe emission electric driving, renewable energy needs to be used for EV charging. This is also known as ‘well-to-wheel’. Just one electric car on the road can save an average of 1.5 million grams of CO2.

The good news for electric car owners is that a number of EV charging stations are now compatible with solar/ wind generation and battery storage. The UK based manufacturer myenergi zappi is a good example of a solar/ wind compatible EV charger. We encourage business and households to adopt an on-site ecosystem of ‘renewable energy-battery storage-EV charging’, to gain the maximum from the advantages of low carbon generation and zero-emission electric driving. Bottom-line, renewable energy is good for the environment and the wallet!

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While e-zoomed uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information, some of the information provided is gathered from third parties and has not been independently verified by e-zoomed. While the information from the third party sources is believed to be reliable, no warranty, express or implied, is made by e-zoomed regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of this information.

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