UPDATE, January 17, 2023: 2024 Volvo XC40, C40 Recharge update revealed
The updated 2024 Volvo XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge electric SUV twins have debuted in Europe.
As reported below, Volvo has improved the driving range and charging time for model-year 2024, while the entry-level, single-motor variants have shifted to a rear-wheel-drive setup.
It is the first time Volvo has offered a rear-wheel-drive vehicle in 25 years, following the discontinuation of the 900 Series, later known as the S90 and V90.
Our previous coverage, below, has been updated to reflect the latest information.
Jordan Hickey
The Volvo XC40 and C40 Recharge electric SUVs are set to receive a major update with a larger battery, more range, faster DC charging capability, and a switch to rear-wheel drive for the entry-level model.
Snapshot
- 2024 Volvo XC40 and C40 Recharge EVs receive technical update
- Dual-motor gains faster charging, larger battery and tweaked AWD torque split
- Single-motor variant shifts to RWD, gains power bump
First spotted on Volvo’s UK website in December, the updates are now official.
At the time, a Volvo Australia spokesperson said local confirmation of these changes may still be some time off. We’ve reached out to the brand for an update.
“These appear to be running model-year changes,” a Volvo Cars Australia spokesperson told Wheels in December.
“As we are a longer-lead time market, our final specification and timing of these changes take a little longer to finalise”.
The entry-level single-motor model retains the current model’s 135kW max DC charging speed. But, it switches to rear-wheel drive, rather than being front-driven, to improve efficiency and extend range. It also gets a power bump to 175kW (up 5kW).
An extended-range version of the single-motor variant is now available, with a larger 82kWh battery pack and a more powerful 185kW electric motor. It has a claimed 515-kilometre driving range for the XC40, or 533 kilometres for the C40.
There’s also a new, aerodynamic-focused 19-inch alloy wheel design available for single-motor XC40 and C40 variants.
Dual-motor variants also gain the larger 82kWh gross battery (up 4kWh), with an extended WLTP claimed driving range of 500km on the XC40 EV and 507km for the sleeker C40. That’s an improvement of around 60 kilometres for both models.
It’s worth noting that Volvo Cars Australia provides more conservative WLTP figures with the current model, at 418km and 420km, respectively.
The dual-motor XC40 and C40 Recharge also have modified all-wheel-drive torque split between the front and rear axles – now 117kW and 183kW, respectively – but combined outputs remain the same at 300kW and 660Nm.
Acceleration times are unchanged for both powertrains, with the single-motor sprinting from 0-100km/h in 7.4 seconds and the dual-motor at 4.9 seconds.
In addition, both Chinese-made electric vehicles gain an upgraded 200kW DC fast charging capability for extended-range variants. That cuts its claimed 10 to 80 per cent recharging time to 28 minutes, a nine minute improvement.
The XC40 Recharge electric SUV gained a mild facelift in early 2022 to align it with the C40 Recharge coupe SUV, with a tweaked front design, new interior dashboard trim, and the introduction of the single-motor version in Australia with a smaller 69kWh gross battery.
The current XC40 Recharge starts from $72,990 before on-road costs, while the slicker C40 Recharge is priced from $74,990 before on-roads.
The local arm has promised to offer a completely electric line-up from 2026, spearheaded by the recently unveiled EX90 flagship large electric SUV. By then, Volvo Cars CEO Jim Rowan recently predicted that EVs will reach price parity with internal combustion engine models.
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Keyword: 2024 Volvo XC40, C40 Recharge EVs: More range, faster charging, RWD