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When Volvo launched the XC40 Recharge back in 2022, it left our mouths wide open in shock; I mean, which other manufacturer gives you a ridiculous 402 bhp in a premium family electric SUV?! Two years later, the Swedish car maker has launched the toned-down version of the XC40 Recharge. Called the XC40 Recharge E60, this is the rear-wheel drive variant of the electric SUV (yay!), which comes in at Rs 54.95 lakh (ex-showroom).

So how’s the XC40 Recharge E60 any different? With the sole electric motor placed on the rear axle, output figures now stand at 234 bhp and 42.82 kgm of torque. With a 0-100 kph time of 7.3 seconds, the claimed top speed is 180 kph. The batter pack is a 69 kWh Li-ion unit, with a claimed range of 475 km (WLTP) on a single charge. Volvo has not specified charging times for this car, but it will provide you with a 11 kW wallbox charger via a third party. It also has listed a portable charging cable which can be connected to a 15A socket.

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The leather-free upholstery has been retained

The XC40 Recharge E60 retains its leather-free interiors, one-pedal driving mode, and the ADAS suite consisting of features such as adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitor with cross traffic alerts, pilot assist, lane keep assist, front and rear parking sensors, and a reversing camera among other things. It also gets an eight-speaker sound system, LED headlights, an air purifier system, built-in Google assistant, on-call help, seven airbags, wireless smartphone charging, and connected car features.

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The XC40 Recharge E60 looks the same

With a difference of Rs 2.95 lakh compared to the regular XC40 Recharge, the E60 variant competes against the likes of the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, Mini Cooper SE, and the rear-wheel drive variants of the newly-launched BYD Seal. What would be your pick?