Video Summary
Findings from the review of the Volvo EX40 electric car:The Volvo EX40 is seen as an expressive and versatile electric car. Its advertising text might be better suited for a future, larger electric vehicle from Volvo. The XC40 was renamed EX40 for the 2024 model year, harmonizing with other Volvo electric models. The car was not originally designed to be a pure electric vehicle and that's evident.
Regarding charging: The AC charging at home for the Volvo EX40 has nothing unique; 11 kW charging is standard, and upgrading to 22 kW isn’t an option. There's no support for vehicle-to-grid or similar functions. The vehicle allows setting the charging amperage through the infotainment screen, which is beneficial for managing charge box limitations. A button unlocks the charging cable, though the DC charging flap design is less appealing.
Regarding the battery: The car features a 79 kWh battery. Charging from 10% to 80% at a fast charger takes 28 minutes. The charger peaks at 205 kW but averages 125 kW, which is considered reasonably fast. Preheating is supported but can only be activated through the navigation system and not manually.
Pricing for the EX40 starts just above 600,000 kr, with a mid-range version priced at 650,000 kr and a top-end version at 750,000 kr, increments of about 50,000 kr.
The EX40:
- It is not a true electric car from the outset, but rather adapted.
- Home charging lacks uniqueness, limited to 11 kW.
- There’s a physical button to release the charging cable.
- The battery is 79 kWh.
- DC fast charging takes 28 minutes.
- Top charging speed is 205kW on paper, but averages 125kW
With respect to the interior: It does not have any unique features for AC charging. Users can adjust the amperage settings within the car. The interior does not have a manual tailgate. The presenter does not think the blanked off grille works well with the car's design. On the other hand, it has 79 kW battery, for fast DC charging with 205 kW max. A smaller version of the battery exists too, for better flexibility. For the interior, he does like the interior lights. In terms of cabin space, full-sized passengers can fit in the back.
Concerning Pilot Assist: The driving experience is generally comfortable in town, although the Pilot Assist function is not particularly impressive. It functions adequately on motorways and main roads. There is some side-to-side wobble. Users can permanently disable lane assist if they choose, even though certain warnings are now required. It has a good sized display for all essential info on the driving mode and battery status. It is good the user can choose how much range is displayed too.
For long drives though, its fuel economy might end up with less than 25 miles of driving. The lack of a start/stop button is odd and you cannot manually activate it at the screen.
The steering could be better.
The 360° camera performs poorly in bad weather.
Android Automotive: While functional, the screen is considered too small. A vehicle can be configured in Google Maps. You can select where it goes, but there is no list on what is desired. Also, the way the user switches between the screens is not intuitive. For example, in order to change the temperature, there is no dial to rotate.
The presenter thinks the Polestar looks better.
Regarding other accessories: He likes the door handles that have under lights. For design features, he likes the hockey club on the back lights. The trunk size is 410L and 1500L with chairs down.
On Pilot Assist, he noted the steering wheel moves on its own. In sum, it isn't something that helps the person at all while driving down the road. He thinks this doesn't compare to a Tesla autopilot function. The lane assist makes the car steer in between two lines on the highway.
The reviewer concludes that core-option features are not the greatest. To address all his major concerns, the Plus option costs 625,000 kr. Also, the presenter thinks the electric steering doesn't do that good of a job compared to previous cars.
