XC40 Recharge Pure Electric Archives - Heels & Horsepower Magazine

Spotted! Volvo’s all-electric XC40 P8 Recharge on South African roads

vuyi on January 26, 2022

The highly anticipated Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge, which sits at the helm of the XC40 range has landed in South Africa.

The highly anticipated Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge has been spotted on South African roads, marking the local arrival of the Swedish firm’s first all-electric vehicle (EV).

A mere four days after Volvo opened the order books for the battery-powered XC40 in May 2021, all initial slots were sold out. Now the first example has been handed over to its excited owner at the Tom Campher Volvo Cars dealership in Johannesburg.

In order to meet growing local demand, Volvo Car South Africa has secured an additional allocation of units, with orders now being taken and deliveries expected in June 2022. The XC40 P8 Recharge, which sits at the summit of the popular XC40 range is priced at R1.2 million and is sold exclusively online via the automaker’s innovative My Volvo website.

Greg Maruszewski, Managing Director at Volvo Car South Africa, says the purchase of the brand’s first pure electric model comes with all manner of additional benefits.

“The XC40 P8 Recharge ships standard with the Volvo CARE package, which includes not only a five-year maintenance plan and warranty – with the battery pack covered for eight years or 160 000 km – but also three years of comprehensive insurance, use of a petrol-powered vehicle for a two week holiday every year for three years, a home charging wallbox, and all the requisite charge cables,” explains Maruszewski.

As a reminder, Volvo says the electric compact SUV – which forms part of the broader Recharge range which made up 27 per cent of the company’s total sales volume in 2021– is able to travel up to 418 km on a single charge, with 80% of its battery capacity replenished in just 40 minutes when using a fast charger.

Fitted with twin electric motors and a 78 kWh battery pack, the XC40 P8 Recharge boasts lofty peak outputs of 304 kW and 660 Nm. With power directed to all four wheels, the XC40 P8 Recharge is capable of seeing off the obligatory 0-100 km/h sprint in a mere 4.9 seconds.In true Volvo form, the automaker’s first EV is crammed full of standard safety equipment, including various driver assistance features, and shares its five-star Euro NCAP rating with its combustion-engined siblings

Volvo Car South Africa Launches Online Store

vuyi on May 11, 2021

My Volvo allows you to buy a car – at the click of your mouse

Volvo Car South Africa has launched My Volvo, a unique online store that will enable South Africans to purchase or rent a new car in as little as 20 minutes – and without leaving home.

The store – the first for Volvo in the Sub-Saharan Africa region – is available exclusively to South Africans. However, this is not the first time that Volvo has dipped its toe in the online shopping arena. Volvo Cars global launched its first online sales store in 2020 as a result of lockdown restrictions the world over.

My Volvo offers a smooth, convenient and secure end-to-end vehicle purchase process. Designed to be flexible, secure and intuitive to use (there are five easy steps to follow), it provides a complete end-to-end service, from vehicle selection right through to the final purchase agreement.

South Africans can start the process by browsing My Volvo and seeing all new Volvo vehicles that are currently available. Customers can then select the model they want from the Volvo range, selecting a model with the powertrain and colour that they require. Optional extras are also detailed.

It makes buying a car as easy as possible without compromising on choice or safety
– Greg Maruszewski, Managing Director at Volvo Car South Africa

Every type of buyer is catered for, whether they want to rent, finance or pay cash. Customers can choose to have the vehicle delivered or they can collect their new car. All vehicles purchased through My Volvo come with the standard five-year / 100 000km maintenance and warranty plan.

In 2020, Volvo Cars more than doubled its number of cars sold online versus 2019
– GREG MARUSZEWSKI, MANAGING DIRECTOR AT VOLVO CAR SOUTH AFRICA

According to Greg Maruszewski, Managing Director at Volvo Car South Africa, My Volvo is indicative of the fact that the way people buy cars has changed. “We have accelerated the company’s move towards online sales. In 2020, Volvo Cars more than doubled its number of cars sold online versus 2019,” he reveals.

Going forward, the emphasis on online will grow. “Volvo’s first pure electric car, the XC40 Recharge Pure Electric P8, will be coming to South Africa this year. It is one of a new family of electric cars to be launched in the coming years – all of which will be available online,” Maruszewski says.

He is expecting wide customer acceptance of My Volvo.

“It makes buying a car as easy as possible without compromising on choice or safety, and it allows customers to make the purchase when it’s most convenient for them.

It places our customers firmly in the driving seat when it comes to the purchasing process – and we have no doubt that they will like this,” Maruszewski concludes.

Volvo Announces Pricing and Exclusive Online Sales for XC40 P8 Recharge All-Electric

vuyi on May 10, 2021

All-electric vehicles sold in South Africa have traditionally come with hefty price tags – and this has undoubtedly been a deterrent
– Greg Maruszewski, Managing Director at Volvo Car South Africa

Volvo Car South Africa has announced the pricing for one of the most eagerly awaited cars to be launched in South Africa this year, namely the XC40 P8 Recharge all-electric. Orders for the Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge opened on Monday 10 May with deliveries commencing in August this year. Pricing for the car will start at R1,2 million (incl. VAT).

According to Greg Maruszewski, Managing Director at Volvo Car South Africa, the company has worked hard to offer this luxury all-electric vehicle at a competitive price.

“All-electric vehicles sold in South Africa have traditionally come with hefty price tags – and this has undoubtedly been a deterrent. We know that there is an appetite in South Africa for electric cars and we were determined to give customers an attractive price,” he says.

In addition to the announcement of the competitive price tag, the company also announced that the car will be sold exclusively online via the company’s new website, My Volvo.

This unique online store enables South Africans to purchase or rent a new car in as little as 20 minutes – and without leaving their home. Customers only need to follow five easy steps to select the car and arrange both finance and delivery (or collection).

The Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge all-electric is clearly a sign of things to come
– GREG MARUSZEWSKI, MANAGING DIRECTOR AT VOLVO CAR SOUTH AFRICA

Included in the pricing of the Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge is the Volvo CARE package. This includes a five-year maintenance plan and warranty, three years of insurance, use of a petrol car for two weeks per year for three years and a home charger that includes charge cables.

“The Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge all-electric is clearly a sign of things to come; last month the company announced that it would only manufacture electric cars by 2030, with all sales to be online. So, our future is clear, and it will be fully electric, sustainable, and online,” concludes Maruszewski.

Check out more pics of the Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric

vuyi on March 12, 2021

The Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric – the first all-electric car from the Swedish luxury brand – will be launched in South Africa in the second half of 2021

The XC40 Recharge will deliver a brisk performance, with its twin electric motors producing 304 kW (408 hp) of power and 660 Nm of torque to deliver a 0-100 km/h time of just 4.9 seconds

Volvo dealers will start taking orders for the XC40 Recharge in April. Deliveries will commence in August.

The price of the XC40 Recharge will be confirmed later this month.

Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric is coming to South Africa!

vuyi on March 12, 2021

The Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric – the first all-electric car from the Swedish luxury brand – will be launched in South Africa in the second half of 2021.

Volvo’s all-electric sport utility vehicle (SUV) has already demonstrated strong sales internationally. Thousands of orders were placed for the XC40 Recharge even before the formal start of sales in Europe last year. By the start of production in the company’s Ghent, Belgium, plant on October 1 last year, every car scheduled to be built that calendar year had already been sold.

According to Greg Maruszewski, Managing Director at Volvo Car South Africa, the XC40 Recharge Pure Electric is capable of travelling more than 400 km on a single charge. “It can be charged to 80% of its battery capacity in as little as 40 minutes using a fast charger,” he reveals.

The XC40 Recharge will deliver a brisk performance, with its twin electric motors producing 304 kW (408 hp) of power and 660 Nm of torque to deliver a 0-100 km/h time of just 4.9 seconds. While pleasing in the area of performance, the car scores highly in the field of practicality too.

Volvo Cars will launch a fully electric car every year, as we look to make all-electric cars 50 percent of global sales by 2025, with the rest hybrids.
– Greg Maruszewski, Managing Director at Volvo Car South Africa

For instance, the lack of an internal combustion engine frees up space for an additional 30-litre storage compartment – or ‘frunk’ – under the front bonnet, while the placement of the batteries under the centre of the car means space is not compromised elsewhere.

Owners will be able to charge the vehicle at a dealership, at home or at one of the ever-growing network of public charging stations. Volvo Car South Africa is also rolling out an extensive network of charging stations at its dealerships and, by the end of 2021, each Volvo dealership will have a charging station.

The XC40 is the first of five fully electric cars to be launched by the Swedish company over the next five years. “Volvo Cars will launch a fully electric car every year, as we look to make all-electric cars 50 percent of global sales by 2025, with the rest hybrids. Recharge will be the overarching name for all chargeable Volvos with a fully electric and plug-in hybrid powertrain,” Maruszewski explains.

We look forward to bringing the huge benefits of electric driving – and more – to an already award-winning package.
– – GREG MARUSZEWSKI, MANAGING DIRECTOR AT VOLVO CAR SOUTH AFRICA

The launch of the XC40 Recharge is a significant step towards Volvo Cars’ ambition to reduce its CO₂footprint per car by 40 percent by 2025. “That same year, it expects 50 percent of its global sales to consist of fully electric cars, with the rest hybrids. But 2030, the company aims to only build electric cars,” he elaborates.

Maruszewski believes that the XC40 Recharge will find favour in South Africa. “South Africans are already firm fans of the internal combustion engine-powered XC40; it had an 8.40% share of its segment in 2019; that grew to 14.70% in 2020.

We look forward to bringing the huge benefits of electric driving – and more – to an already award-winning package,” he concludes.

Volvo dealers will start taking orders for the XC40 Recharge in April. Deliveries will commence in August.

The price of the XC40 Recharge will be confirmed later this month.