While I was following whoever I was following that looked very cool but its solid, so its not as cool as I thought, its just a hinge cover if the shape looks smooth its because it shares its basic structure, its platform, the batteries and even the manufacturing process. And facility with pole, Stars pole, star 2 and the Volvo xc40, the small SUV, which is very very similar in size and shape to the C40. The good thing about the C40 is that Volvo werent, starting from the ground they already had the xc40 to go by what Im in, is the dual motor version and the dual motor version is really grippy really nippy. The car I was in this morning with the single motor version drives through the front wheels. This thing feels like it will not leave the road inside. Of course, if this looks familiar, it is because it looks very much like the xc40 that we drove recently same Google, Os or Google Android OS same gear lever same center, console everythings the same, except for the back similar amount of space and with the glass roof. It feels similarly spacious the ride, though I think feels fantastic and even on the very very twisty roads I was using the one pedal driving because its so easy. You forget the second pedals. Even there, oh were just coming into tanunda, just in case youve wondered where we are. We are in the Barossa Valley in South Australia.

I thought wed just start with the quirks and features of this car, and it mainly revolves around that. Back now you can see looking back. The space in the rear window is very small. This is a car that would benefit from one of those smart um rear view mirrors with most electric cars. Putting the power figures on doesnt really tell you how much power it feels like it has, and this feels like it has a bunch. The chassis feels incredibly tight and the good thing about the dual motor versions is that they have all wheel drive which makes the cornering even better theres. No hiding that heft. She is a hefty Lassie and its probably two or three hundred kilograms heavier than the equivalent ice version. One thing about the interior on the single motor version. This rubber insert here is a map of Gothenburg where Volvos head office is now. This is not exactly a smooth tarmac Road and there is a little bit of road noise, but because theres, no engine noise, all you hear is the road noise Im. Okay with that, though, ah now this is smooth tarmac. So, oh, my God, this is so quiet. Its difficult to explain to a person whos never been in an electric car. What it feels like to drive an electric car. The power is immediate and urgent. Theyre, funnily enough, this, like the xc40, the C40 doesnt, have a lot in the way of Road feel you just have to know that, where you point the steering wheel, it is going to go and Volvo as a company.

They want to be green and ecological. As far as a car company can turn left and they want to be carbon neutral, every car company wants that, but Volvo is actually going to achieve it by 2030. All Volvos will be Electric every single one. However, I think Australia theyre probably going to be electric before that. Who knows, I understand, theres some announcements coming wow that was um. That was amazing. I mean its not snap your neck fast, but it is still very fast. Now Ive put the cruise control on, which is also activated the steering control, and I can see on the dash in front of me the little orangey sort of light things come up. Take it up just a little bit been driving around all day. Weve done several hundred kilometers and this things sitting at 62 percent Im surprised at how economical with battery power. This has been Volvos, really proud of their Heritage and theyre, proud of what theyve been able to achieve and theyre proud of these products. Theyve got recycled materials and at the end of its life it can be recycled. The battery should something go wrong with this battery, the battery can be taken to Volvo and they can individually fix bits of it. People worry about the cost of a battery. All the time and thats one of the most common questions I get asked how much is a battery? Well, a battery is probably half the cost of the car truth be known, but you dont have to replace the whole battery.

They just replace individual cells and if, at the end of the warranty, the battery is less than usually around 70 percent, theyll replace it. Even if this car was charged on coal fired power, its still more efficient and puts out less CO2 than it would. If this was an internal combustion engine running on petrol or diesel, people that hate electric cars hate electric cars because they dont like change and change, is coming, whether they like it or not, and in many ways Tesla has had the market on their own and now Other car companies are coming in. You can buy a car like this, that is As Nice to drive as a Tesla. If not, nicer certainly looks cooler than a Tesla and its not weird inside, like a Tesla, so you dont have to modify your driving style in any way you dont have to get used to anything else. You can just get in this car and drive thats. The other thing theres, no, the keep is in the center console here, but that can just stay in your pocket. Putting your bum on the seat starts the car. Once you sit on the seat its ready to go its ready for you to put your seat belt on put your foot on the brake and pull it into gear, the C40 just feels so stable. You can definitely feel the half of the batteries in the tight corners, but on the highway it feels no different to any other car and rather than bring another sedan into the Market, Volvo thought well were going to bring in a car.

That is part SUV and part hatchback theres, a couple of other things that the C40 dual motor has that the single motor doesnt its got the upgraded Harman Kardon sound system, which sounds amazing, weve left the highway now were back in city traffic again so weve had An experience today of really tight, twisty, Adelaide Hills, beautiful long stretches of straight freeway, with gentle curves and gentle bends and now City stuff. And of course, now I am back in town. I can use the one pedal driving to its most efficient, just one pedal, as I said, and even in the tight twisty bits I was still using just the one pedal driving and youd be surprised how easily you get used to it. C40 isnt cheap, its, not cheap for any car, its not even cheap for a Volvo remember, even as power prices are set, to increase its still cheaper than running the same thing in a petrol car and thats, something worth considering. Even as power prices go up, especially if you have access to solar at home, its a different proposition altogether and finally, with the seat set for me, there is just this much room in the back Headroom limited because the roof swoops down over the back – and I Did had to have to duck down under this to get in, but you can see theres a little thing here and thats, where youll put the little cage in so that you can make the cargo area completely separate.

And that is all this week from the Volvo c40.. I think this is a salute cracker.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCuN0uxWoj8