[Taboleo] Volvo's First Electric Car 'C40' Adds Sleekness to Heft

Maximum Driving Range of 356km on a Single Charge
20 Million KRW Cheaper Than Overseas... 'God-level Cost-effectiveness'
Added Convenience with Tmap Navigation

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunseok Yoo] Among imported electric vehicles in the first quarter of this year, the most popular models were Volvo Cars’ ‘C40 Recharge’ and ‘XC40 Recharge.’ Within just five days of the domestic pre-order, 1,500 units of the C40 Recharge and 500 units of the XC40 Recharge were sold out. Despite being priced up to 20 million KRW cheaper than overseas, their premium performance truly captured the hearts of Koreans. It’s truly a ‘God-level cost performance.’ After driving the C40 for a round trip of 94 km from Yeouido, Seoul to Paju, Gyeonggi Province, I found the satisfaction level to be very high.

Impressions of Volvo’s first coupe-type ‘C40’.

▲The C40 is a coupe-type sport utility vehicle (SUV) built on Volvo’s CMA platform. It is notably Volvo’s first coupe-type model. The front resembles the XC40, reflecting Volvo’s family look, giving it a solid feel. However, the rear lights that rise along the C-pillar and the coupe-style design also give a sleek impression. It is equipped with 20-inch wheels, which look very beautiful. In conclusion, it gives a feeling that is both solid and pretty at the same time.

How was it to drive?

▲During the test drive event, I initially struggled a bit because the start button was gone. Instead, pressing the brake pedal and shifting the gear to ‘D’ makes the car move forward immediately. To turn off the engine, just shift the gear to ‘P.’ Once you get used to it, it’s quite convenient.

After leaving Yeouido and entering Jayu-ro, I tried accelerating. The power from the dual motors was definitely noticeable. It felt great to accelerate swiftly. The car boasts a maximum output of 300 kW (408 horsepower) and a maximum torque of 660 Nm (67.3 kg·m). According to the specs, it reaches 100 km/h from a standstill in just 4.7 seconds. The maximum driving range on a single charge is 356 km.

Especially, the latest advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) driver assistance was very helpful. When I activated adaptive cruise control at a speed enforcement zone, the ‘Pilot Assist’ feature automatically maintained a safe distance between vehicles and kept the lane.

The navigation system is ‘T-map’... so convenient.

▲If I had to pick the biggest advantage, it would be the navigation system. As a reporter, I don’t usually use the built-in navigation in either domestic or imported cars. Although Apple CarPlay and Android Auto exist, I find them somewhat inconvenient to use. So I usually drive while looking at T-map or Kakao Navi on my smartphone. However, the C40’s navigation is T-map. Volvo collaborated with T-map Mobility to develop the ‘T-map Infotainment Service.’ It includes exclusive features such as checking the estimated battery level upon arrival at the destination, automatically routing through charging stations during route search, and viewing the drivable range. This helps reduce the stress related to charging stations when driving an electric vehicle. The convenience of T-map itself goes without saying.

If you had to pick a downside.

▲Honestly, it was hard to find any downsides. Overall, I was very satisfied. If I had to choose, it was a bit difficult to check the rear view through the side mirrors. Also, I am 174 cm tall, and when sitting in the back seat, I felt my hair brushing against the roof. However, this is an unavoidable aspect of the coupe design, so it’s hard to consider it a flaw of the car itself.

What about the price? Can you get one now?

▲Volvo aggressively sets prices whenever it launches a new car in Korea. The newly released C40 is no exception. The price excluding subsidies is 63.91 million KRW. This is 8.9 million KRW lower than in the U.S. and 22 million KRW lower than in Germany. However, it seems you cannot get this car this year as the allocated quantity for Korea has already been sold out. Still, Volvo Cars Korea is reportedly discussing additional allocations with the headquarters, so it’s not bad to have some expectations.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.