Volvo’s electric SUV just got a major range and charge speed upgrade

Volvo has rolled out a set of updates for its C40 and XC40 Recharge electric SUVs, increasing their range and lowering their charge time.

The model range now features three new powertrains that include two new single-motor, rear-wheel-drive configurations, and a revised dual-motor performance model. This marks the first time in 25 years that Volvo has sold cars with rear-wheel-drive.

The headline figures include a claimed WLTP range of up to 533 km (331 miles) of range for the new, single-motor C40 Recharge, when configured with the larger, 82 kWh battery pack. The maximum charge speed of this battery has also been improved, up from 150 kW to 200 kW when using a similarly rapid DC public charger. Volvo says this means the battery can be charged from 10 to 80 percent in 28 minutes.

Volvo has retained a smaller battery option of 69 kWh, but says enhancements in cooling efficiency mean range has increased slightly from 425 km (264 miles) to 460 km (285 miles) for the single-motor XC40 Recharge.

The C40, which is essentially the same car but with a more aerodynamic roofline that slopes downwards at the rear, has had its range increased to 476 km (295 miles) with the 69 kWh battery. For both of these cars, charging from 10 to 80 percent at a 130 kW charger takes a claimed 34 minutes.

Volvo has also updated the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive variants of C40 and XC40. The cars previously used a pair of 150 kW motors, but these have been replaced by a 183 kW permanent magnet motor at the rear and a 117 kW asynchronous motor at the front. Both are new and developed in-house, the company says.

Exterior updates for the new cars include new 19-inch wheels that help to reduce drag with a more aerodynamic design. The XC40 Recharge starts at £46,505 or £729 a month, and the C40 Recharge starts at £48,355 or £699 a month.