2024 Volvo C40 and XC40 Recharge First Drive Evaluation: Again to the RWD future

The 2024 Volvo XC40 Recharge and C40 EVs will likely be obtainable with rear-wheel drive, changing the front-wheel-drive model that has been the fraternal pairing’s single-motor base mannequin. That is clearly newsworthy — why else would I be writing about it? However does it truly imply something? After driving each of those automobiles across the lakes, seaside, perfectly-maintained highways, and cobblestoned city streets proximate to the model’s headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden, I can say that the reply is, not likely. However that’s not likely Volvo’s fault.

The final time Volvo offered a rear-wheel-drive car in the US was 1998 when the soft, brick-like 960 was retired (formally S90 and V90 of their ultimate 12 months). All the pieces thereafter was front-wheel drive or at the least on a front-drive-based platform, in no small half because of the further all-weather traction and stability afforded by the extra weight of an inner combustion engine and transaxle over the drive wheels. In brief, it was safer, and whilst Volvo moved away from many years of arcane, rectilinear design, security remained its raison d’etre.  

That hasn’t modified, however in accordance with Volvo, EVs have basically modified car dynamics, facilities of gravity, and weight distribution to refute the front-drive argument.

A Volvo spokesperson instructed me that this new one-motor format within the XC/C40, driving the rear wheels, with up to date superior driver help methods, is best in inclement climate than a gas-engine/FWD combo.

That explains why the change to a typical rear-drive format doesn’t run afoul of Volvo’s established ethos, however why make the change within the first place? Whether or not it was the plan all alongside, or simply an development of next-generation know-how to lengthen and lengthen the relevance of those automobiles, is just not one thing Volvo would touch upon. In any occasion, lots of the base EVs which can be in or close to the XC/C40’s aggressive set — the VW ID.4, the Kia EV6, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 — function rear-wheel drive of their single-motor setup. It’s notable that every one of these automobiles had been developed from the bottom up as EVs and may very well be optimized for the aforementioned dynamics. The XC40 and C40 had been constructed on a platform able to accommodating gas-only, plug-in hybrid and full-electric powertrains.

It is also necessary to notice that with this change in customary format comes new motors, which can have one thing to do with the change. They had been additionally developed in-house, optimizing Volvo’s efficiencies, reasonably than buying its wants from a provider. This isn’t one thing a carmaker does with a component they’re utilizing merely to increase the lifetime of a car nearing alternative.

This new rear motor is thus prone to discover different makes use of down the road. Volvo spokespeople wouldn’t touch upon future product choices, however I might hazard to wager that variations of this motor mounted to the rear axle will proliferate by the Volvo vary as its pure electrical choices increase in its subsequent technology(s) of automobiles. (Volvo has promised to construct solely battery-powered passenger automobiles by 2030).

We didn’t actually have an opportunity to place Volvo’s dynamic traction promise to the take a look at. Although Gothenburg is understood for offering cheerless spring murk and drizzle, our time in Sweden’s second metropolis was superb, with 16 hours of day by day sunshine. There wasn’t all-weather traction wanted, wherever. Too unhealthy.

We nonetheless acquired an opportunity to strive each the rear-drive powertrain and the equally new twin-motor, all-wheel-drive model. As a substitute of the earlier setup of similar 150-hp motors on the entrance and rear axle, a 255-horsepower model of the brand new rear motor is joined by an equally new, however much less highly effective, 147-horsepower motor on the entrance axle. That one’s solely engaged as wanted for traction functions, which Volvo says improves effectivity.

That’s excellent news for vary, which matches as much as 294 miles for the rear-drive XC40 and 297 for C40, thanks partially to a brand new 82-kilowatt-hour battery pack that may be charged at a most fee of 200 kWh. The dual-motor model retains the outgoing fashions’ 78-kWh pack, however its vary nonetheless goes up by 31 miles to 254 for the XC40 and 257 for the C40. Sadly, its quick charging fee nonetheless tops out at 150 kW.

In order that’s a purpose to go together with rear-wheel-drive, however I’m much less offered on its dynamic potential. This isn’t as a result of I don’t benefit from the extra conventional driving dynamics supplied up by a rear-biased system, however as a result of Volvo SUVs aren’t actually recognized for his or her driving dynamics to start with. Sure, the setup was detectable to me, somebody who has take a look at pushed at the least 50 new automobiles yearly for a decade-and-a-half, and has been automotively obsessed nearly since delivery. However my guess is, it gained’t be that noticeable to most Volvo house owners. After I talked about this to a Volvo engineer, they mentioned, “That is possibly a superb factor?” that means, a praise. And I believe they had been proper.

This lack of differentiation is, partially, as a result of the RWD motor nonetheless solely produces 248 horsepower, which isn’t all that a lot to encourage 4,500 kilos of electrical SUV. It’s sufficient to get out of its personal means, accelerating from 0-60 mph in a titch below 7 seconds, which is best than its varied RWD EV opponents. However in case you’re anticipating the rear-drive format to allow you to gentle up the tires, and even roar right into a freeway merge, you gained’t discover it significantly prepared. Clearly, this isn’t its goal. The dual-motor automobile, with 60% extra energy — simply over 400 hp — and solely 5% extra weight, is extra of a hustler, working as much as mile-a-minute speeds in simply 4.5 seconds. However if you step on it in such a means, it goes into all-wheel-drive mode to ship all of this oomph to the highway, so it’s not as in case you’ll be having fun with tail-out shenanigans there both. Once more, this isn’t a dilemma. Nobody is attempting to float an XC40, or if they’re, they’re most likely doing one thing improper.  

Talking of doing one thing improper, let’s take a second to debate the C40. I admire that Volvo, like many different European producers, has found that there’s a section of the car-buying inhabitants that’s prepared to pay extra money for a “coupe-like” SUV, one that’s considerably uglier, heavier, and fewer utilitarian than its sibling. However whereas I applaud the continued introduction of recent type elements to the automotive realm — particularly as electrification liberates us from among the standard constraints lengthy imposed by the mechanical componentry that has outlined automotive design (engine, transmission, fuel tank, exhaust) — I’m firmly not amongst that subset. Shifting the bias of the propulsion system doesn’t shift my bias on this realm. The C40 is an aberration.

Are the 2024 C40 and XC40 higher than their predecessors? Sure. Do they really feel considerably totally different? No. Is {that a} unhealthy factor? Additionally, no. However the truth that Volvo has developed a powerful, rear-wheel-drive powertrain speaks to significant prospects for the model. Let’s hope a kind of is one thing like a small, sporty EV successor to the 1800 ES capturing brake. Or an enormous, battery-powered RWD station wagon just like the Idea Recharge they confirmed us a pair years again. Now that Volvo has revived RWD, possibly it’s time to deliver again the brick.