Why we are kind of obsessed with the XC40
Meet the Volvo Pure Electric XC40 Recharge, the new sustainable fully electric ‘it’ car with a recycled plastic carpet tested with female crash dummies
When I look at the Volvo Pure Electric XC40 Recharge, I see the kind of car I need for my life in the city. Us ladies are busy, in just one day you can find us zipping from work, to the gym, to dinner and back home again - so we need something with speed, space and style. But we also want the most advanced technology available too.
The XC40 Recharge is Volvo’s first ever fully electric car - but make no mistake, it’s just as powerful as their petrol and diesel offerings. This ride packs a punch - and it’s got a tech-spec to match.
If there’s one thing Volvo knows, it’s technology. Hate rooting around in your car for charging and aux cables? Worry no more, the XC40 has a wireless charging pad for you to drop your phone onto, and there’s enough storage space in the door compartments for a laptop, a tablet and a water bottle. The XC40 also touts its own Google Assistant (voice activated control system) where you can control anything from your music to maps.
Looking for directions? Simply ask Google to plot a route to your desired destination and you’re good to go. One issue to keep an eye on in an electric car is running out of charge, so the Google maps app has a handy feature that will show you your expected charge when arriving at your destination and if required, suggest charge points along the way so you’re never caught out.
The sound system of the XC40 was engineered by world-famous audio specialists Harman Kardon and includes 13 (yes, 13) speakers and advanced surround sound digital processing.
And if that’s not enough, this car’s technology is actually so advanced that it has software called Pilot Assist that will help you to literally drive the car. If you thought self-driving cars were the future, you thought wrong - that ‘future’ is already here. A large part of Volvo’s mission is to introduce driving-assisted cars and they’re already building this technology as we speak.
Pilot Assist combines a forward-facing camera and radar to detect your lane and any vehicles in front. It then assists with the steering to keep the car within its lane, and works with the adaptive cruise control to keep at the desired cruising speed or at a safe distance from any vehicle in front. The technology is even sophisticated enough to actually automatically accelerate and brake with the flow of traffic, right down to a standstill - perfect for inner city driving.
Driving an SUV and caring about climate change might seem a bit of an odd position to be in - but this is where Volvo really comes into their own.
Sustainability is a central part of Volvo’s global operations. The door linings and interior mats in the XC40 are actually made from 97% recycled plastic material. Volvo’s ambition is to be a climate-neutral company by 2040 – that’s 10 years ahead of the Paris climate agreement; they're also aiming to be climate-neutral global manufacturing by 2025 - which is massive.
But Volvo aren’t just playing lip-service to sustainability, they’re also aiming for a 25% reduction of CO2 emissions related to their global supply chain by 2025 too.
They’re also pioneering female-led design in automotives. When a woman steps into a car to drive, she assumes she’s safe when she pops her seatbelt on. But did you know that women are actually at higher risk of whiplash than men? Yet in 2021, most automakers still produce cars based exclusively on data from male crash test dummies.
In short, women run the risk of being injured in a car accident more than most men do, but not when they’re in a Volvo seat. They’re also more likely to suffer a chest injury in a car crash than men due to differences in chest anatomy and strength. Volvo is leading the way in female focussed safety and design engineering with their E.V.A initiative and have been researching the impact of traffic-related injuries on women, men and children for over 40 years.
Don’t get me wrong, this car is no Lamborghini - but if you’re looking for an electric SUV perfect for inner city driving designed by engineers who put women first that actually looks good - then you won’t find better than the XC40.