Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric

The Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric is Volvo’s first all-electric car and is capable of a travelling more than 249 miles on a single charge, and can be charged to 80% of its battery capacity in as little as 40 minutes using a fast charger. The XC40's long range does not come at the expense of performance, with its twin electric motors producing 408hp to deliver a 0-62mph time of only 4.9 seconds.

Inside, the car benefits from the company’s brand-new infotainment system powered by Google Android and the lack of an internal combustion engine frees up space for an additional 30-litre storage compartment or ‘frunk’ under the front bonnet.

As with the standard XC40, this battery-powered version comes equipped with interior touches such as a removable waste bin, a fold-out hook in the glove compartment for bags and a boot divider complete with hooks for keeping shopping bags separate and upright. A pair of sizeable front door bins come courtesy of the traditionally door-housed speakers being moved to the base of the windscreen. The interior of the vehicle also carries over the strong focus on sustainability from other variants, with the door linings and carpets made from 97% recycled plastic bottles.

The all-electric XC40 marks the debut of Volvo’s Android-powered infotainment system, with the total integration of Android Automotive OS, Google’s open-source Android platform, meaning services such as Google Maps, Google Assistant and other automotive apps will be built in. For the first time on a Volvo car, software and operating system updates will be available over the air.

In terms of safety, Volvo has totally redeveloped the vehicle’s frontal crash structure, while introducing a new and unique safety structure for the passengers and battery. Driver aids include a new version of Pilot Assist, the driver-assistance technology that deploys steering, acceleration and braking support to help take the strain during long motorway journeys and sitting in traffic. The system uses Google Maps for information such as speed limits and curves in the road to improve its functionality. An Emergency Stop Assist function is now included, meaning that if the driver is not holding the steering wheel while Pilot Assist is activated, the driver will be warned in different stages until the vehicle is brought to a safe stop.