SINGLE NOT READY TO Mingle?

Volvo has introduced the XC40 with a single-motor setup. But does this mean that it's only half the fun and half the experience? Let's find out...

- KARAN MATHUR

If you are an automotive enthusiast who proudly identifies as a die-hard petrolhead, then chances are that you vehemently oppose the idea of an EV. If so, then, it would be a fair assumption that you haven’t had the opportunity to experience the thrill of a fun-to-drive premium EV. Vehicles like the Volvo XC40 and the C40 Recharge epitomise the very idea of such an EV, offering performance that can rival most sports cars.

Now, Volvo has launched a single-motor variant of its compact electric SUV, called the XC40 E60 Plus. This model offers slightly less power, a smaller battery capacity, fewer features, and comes with a slightly more affordable price tag. This begs the question: is it worth considering or are its more powerful siblings the better choice?

WHAT’S CHANGED?

In terms of design, the new Volvo XC40 Plus hasn’t changed much in comparison to its siblings – in fact, you need to look closely to notice the differences. While the front end looks exactly the same, it now gets adaptive full-LED headlights instead of the Pixel-LEDs of the dual motor variant. Unlike the Pixel-LED setup – which features 84 individual LEDs that can selectively dim parts of the high-beam when it detects oncoming traffic while maintaining the rest of the LEDs on high over dimly-lit areas – the full-LED setup can only automatically switch between high- and low-beam. Additionally, the XC40 Plus also forgoes the adaptive LED fog lamps.