Earlier today, Volvo Auto India unveiled details surrounding the all-new, India-spec S60. The sedan, which launches in March 2021, will be available for booking from January 2021. The company also confirmed that apart from launching the new S60 next year, it will enter the Indian EV space as well. And we know what that means! Yes, the XC40 Recharge will be introduced next year.

It was in October last year when the XC40 Recharge first broke cover. The compact SUV became the first Volvo-branded EV and introduced the ‘Recharge’ tag. That, by the way, will be on all chargeable Volvo models, covering EVs and PHEVs (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles).

The XC40 Recharge has two electric motors, one for each axle. Together, they produce 402bhp/660Nm and give birth to an electric all-wheel-drive system as well. Even though the car weighs well over 2.1 tonnes, it can still hit 100kmph from a standstill in 4.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 180kmph.

Range? As per WLTP, the XC40 Recharge can travel up to 417km on a single charge. That comes courtesy of a 78 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, which can be charged using both AC (slow) and DC (fast) electricity feeds. Under ideal conditions and using the fastest 150 kW charging option, the EV in question can replenish its battery from zero to 80 per cent in about 40 minutes. If such a feed isn’t available, one can plug the XC40 Recharge with an 11 kW AC charger. As per Volvo, you’d have to wait between 8-10 hours for a zero to 100 per cent charge.

On the features front, the XC40 Recharge will pack a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 9.0-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, two-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof and a Harman Kardon sound system. Bolstering the safety will be widgets such as adaptive cruise control, rain-sensing wipers, Lane Keeping Aid, a rear-view camera, front and rear parking sensors, Collision Mitigation Support and Hill Start/Descent Control.

Unsurprisingly, the XC40 Recharge will arrive via the CBU (Completely Built Unit). Plus, it packs technology which hasn’t got enough time to get affordable. That said, Volvo Auto India is known for pricing their models incredibly competitively. It’ll be interesting to see how the company pulls off a similar tactic with the XC40 Recharge. Presently, the only EV which comes from a premium carmaker and is available in the country is the Mercedes-Benz EQC. That costs just under Rs 1 crore.