The order books will officially open on Tuesday 26 July at 8am, with the XC40 P6 Recharge available exclusively online through the My Volvo Website from a starting price of R1 075 000. A limited number of units will be offered, with priority given to the existing waiting list.

Cars are scheduled to arrive in South Africa later in the year.

According to Greg Maruszewski, Managing Director at Volvo Car Group South Africa, it is important for Volvo to provide local consumers looking to make the switch away from combustion engines with a viable alternative to the local market’s assortment of far higher-priced electric vehicles.

“The appetite for electric cars in South Africa is steadily growing, as proven by the popularity of our first battery-powered offering, the twin-motor XC40 P8 Recharge AWD. As with that model, we worked hard to bring in this P6 variant at an attractive price point,” says Maruszewski.

The XC40 P6 Recharge is rated to travel up to 423 km (WLTP driving cycles) on a single charge thanks to its low-mounted, high-voltage 69 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Fitted with a powerful 11 kW onboard charger as standard, this model also benefits from very competitive charging capabilities.

With a permanently sealed and maintenance-free electric motor mounted on the front axle (and thus driving the front wheels), the XC40 P6 Recharge boasts maximum outputs of 170 kW and 330 Nm, which facilitate a spirited 0-100 km/h sprint time of just 7.4 seconds. Its braked towing capacity of 1 500 kg, meanwhile, matches that of its more powerful twin-motor sibling, which is priced at R1 260 000.

The list of standard features on the XC40 includes wireless smartphone charging, parking sensors (front and rear), a reversing camera and the company’s latest Android-powered touchscreen infotainment system, complete with built-in Google apps and services. Customers can also choose to upgrade to 20-inch wheels, from the original 19-inch wheels.