Enlarge / Volvo's latest electric vehicle is the C40 Recharge, which is built in Ghent, Belgium. (credit: Jonathan Gitlin)
Volvo provided flights to Brussels and two nights in hotels so we could drive the C40 Recharge. Ars does not accept paid editorial content.
GHENT, BELGIUM—Volvo built a nice little crossover in the form of the XC40. It got even better when the Swedish automaker swapped out the internal combustion engine for an electric powertrain. Now, Volvo has a new variant—the Volvo C40 Recharge—that combines those same battery-electric mechanicals with a slightly more stylish and aero-efficient shape.
This being a modern Volvo, you can also expect a Scandinavian-chic interior and Volvo's reassuring approach to safety. Google's voice assistant is on-board, too, thanks to the Android Automotive infotainment system. But it's not the most efficient electric vehicle on sale today, and the C40 Recharge commands a high price for its new looks.
Volvo says the C40 Recharge has different sheet metal from the XC40 Recharge from the A pillars back. It's hard to miss the change at the rear. (credit: Jonathan Gitlin)
If the idea of a slightly less practical, slightly more stylish Volvo seems odd at first, don't be alarmed. Every so often, the designers are allowed to run wild in Gothenburg, and the C40 Recharge is the latest evidence of that. The new car joins other oddballs like the 480 and C30.
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