Modest price increases announced for MY24 Volvo XC40 and C40 Recharge Pure Electric ahead of third-quarter launch
Volvo Car Australia has locked in starting prices of $76,990 and $78,990 plus on-road costs for its heavily updated 2024 XC40 Recharge Pure Electric and 2024 C40 Recharge Pure Electric respectively ahead of the local arrival of the updated small SUVs in the third quarter of the year.
As outlined in January, the battery-electric SUVs have been treated to a raft of significant powertrain updates for the 2024 model year, including new batteries, drive layouts and motors.
According to the Swedish brand, that has increased the effective driving ranges and outputs of both models, as well as enhanced their dynamics.
The upgrades have also brought about a series of price increases, with the entry-level versions of both models set to retail for $3000 more than their 2023 predecessors, whereas the more powerful dual-motor variants have risen $4500 to $85,990 for the XC40 and $87,990 for the C40.
Starting from the bottom of the range, the biggest change made to the single-motor versions is the switch from front- to rear-wheel-drive, making the 2024 XC40 Recharge Pure Electric and C40 Recharge Pure Electric the first rear-drive Volvos in 25 years.
Not only has the new motor been moved from the front to the rear axle, it’s also been uprated from 170 to 175kW and, while it’s still paired with the same 69kWh lithium-ion battery pack, the power source features improved cooling efficiency, which in turn has liberated an extra 35-38km of WLTP driving range.
Volvo says the XC40 EV will now cover up to 460km on a single charge whereas the sleeker C40 will cover up to 476km – and both can also now be charged at up to 130kW with a DC fast-charger.
At this stage it seems Australia will miss out on the bigger – and newer – 82kWh battery, which ups both driving ranges to more than 514km and liberates another 10kW from the electric motor.
Thankfully this more advanced battery is default choice in the dual-motor versions which continue to pack a 330kW/660Nm punch courtesy of their new 117kW front and 183kW rear motors, resulting in a 4.9-second dash to 100km/h.
The extra capacity and more advanced chemistry facilitate 200kW DC fast-charging and will see the all-wheel drive XC40 Recharge Pure Electric cover up to 500km (+62km) on a single charge, while its slipperier cousin will now cover up to 507km (+56km).
What does that extra charging power mean? Volvo says a 10-80 per cent charge now takes just 28 minutes – a nine-minute improvement.
Volvo Car Australia managing director Stephen Connor said the MY24 updates made to the electric compact SUV duo were “another big step” in the local operation’s “strategy of becoming fully electric by 2026”.
“Two of the most frequently asked questions customers ask about our fully electric XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge are: ‘How far will it go on a single charge?’ and ‘How long does it take to charge?’,” he said.
“These upgrades address those questions and will make our fully electric models even more attractive than they already were.
“Globally, Volvo is firmly committed to becoming an electric-only carmaker by 2030, but in Australia we’ve previously announced we will make the transition to full EV happen by 2026.”
Trainspotters will be able to spot the updated XC40 and C40 EVs by their redesigned 19-inch alloys once they hit the road in the third quarter, although order books are open now.
How much does the 2024 Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric cost?
Pure Electric – $76,990 (+$3000)
Pure Electric Twin – $85,990 (+$4500)
* Prices exclude on-road costs
How much does the 2024 Volvo V40 Recharge Pure Electric cost?
Pure Electric – $78,990 (+$3000)
Pure Electric Twin – $87,990 (+$4500)
* Prices exclude on-road costs
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Keyword: Heavily updated Volvo XC40 and C40 EVs priced