Volvo has just officially pulled the silk from its first all-electric vehicle, the XC40 SUV. The automaker has been quite vocal in stating that its future is electric. Today we see the first step toward that goal.

If it looks a bit familiar to you, that may be because the company already makes a petrol-powered version. That XC40 was good enough to win the title of 2018 European Car of the Year. This one is better. Not just because it lacks poison-spewing exhaust pipes and has a modern, aerodynamic grill treatment, but because it's safer. Perhaps the safest car Volvo has ever built. Considering the importance the Swedish automaker puts on that attribute, that's really saying something.

The compact crossover is the vanguard of an electrification effort which could see half of the Volvo brand's sales consisting of battery-powered vehicles by 2025, with the other half being hybrids. This is, of course, separate from its Polestar sub-brand's ambitions. Those vehicles all come with a plug from the get-go.

But let's take a look at the automaker is bringing to the table with this offering. All-wheel-drive, with a motor for both the front and rear axles, the compact SUV boasts a range of 248.5 miles (400 km) on the WLTP test. Its exact size in kilowatt-hours is undisclosed. It is said, however, to charge from empty to 80 percent of in 40 minutes on a DC fast-charge system.

Gallery: Volvo XC40 Recharge (2020)

57 Photos

Powerwise, the XC40 Recharge offers 400 horsepower to the right foot of drivers, so power should be adequate at the very least. No acceleration numbers have yet been released but it's probably safe to say this thing will get out of its own way in a hurry.

Exact pricing, as well, is still a mystery. Last year, CEO Håkan Samuelsson intimated the price would be in the $50,000 neighborhood. And, not only that, but that the model would be profitable from day one. That would be a great feat for Volvo and we wish them all success with its electrification program.

Specs:

78-kWh battery pack (75 kWh usable)



660 Nm of torque (486.79 pound-feet)



150 kW peak DC fast charge



11 kW onboard AC

Check out the press release below for more details about this and future Recharge models.