Billed as its “first pure electric SUV,” the XC40 Recharge was Volvo’s grand entrance into the next decade of EV production. Like its petrol-powered counterpart, the XC40 Recharge sports the traditional exterior characteristic of Volvo’s crossovers. Its boxy shape allows for a roomy cabin and decent trunk storage along with a one-cubic-foot frunk under the hood. Inside the cabin, you’ll find an all-black interior and a stylish moonroof. A center touchscreen tilted slightly toward the driver’s side houses its Android-based infotainment system. Volvo says the system will come equipped with Google Assistant, Maps, and Play, boast a top quality voice assistant, and permit over-the-air software updates.

The XC40’s performance is competitive. With an electric AWD powertrain, the vehicle has 402 horsepower and a 0-60 mph time of 4.7 seconds along with 2,000 pounds of towing. Its 78-kWh battery, housed in an aluminum safety cage beneath its floor, provides 223 miles of range. The XC40 was the first car to include Volvo’s new Advanced Driver Assistance System of state-of-the-art cameras, radar, and ultrasonic sensors, which, According to Volvo, “lays the foundation for...autonomous drive technology.”

The XC40 Recharge gives us a glimpse of what’s to come in Volvo’s campaign to make half of its fleet fully electric and reduce its carbon footprint 40 percent by 2025.