Exceptionally, for a car that went on sale today, Volvo didn’t really say how much it costs. If it is in line with the XC40, then Autocar estimates that it will be around $ 75,000. That’s a big price for an EV that openly admits to driving in the suburbs like a second car. More than twice a Chevy Bolt, which is getting lost in Taylorian territory. Especially when the philosophy with the C40 Recharge was, according to Volvo, to do “just the right amount”, not to build huge batteries when they are not needed, making the car exactly the right size and power for what the company believes it needs to do.
There is something refreshing and honest about Volvo saying that it doesn’t think this is the best EV it can do. Volvo believes it is the best EV to start with, and it will be iteratively better with over-the-air updates that improve reach and usability. At today’s launch, the company said, “The day a new car leaves the factory is rarely the best day.” But an EV platform allows the same car to eventually become the best.
After the agonizing experience of going through all of that, this is a very comforting thought for any of us.
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