Volvo XC40 and C40 production changes see a larger battery with more range and more power arrive, although local Australian confirmation is yet to be made.
Volvo has increased the range of the Volvo C40 Recharge and Volvo XC40 Recharge EVs with a raft of efficiency tweaks and given them an uplift in power. The changes have been announced so far in the UK although we’re waiting on an Australian confirmation.
The update for the Swedish marque’s entry-level electric cars brings a new 82kWh (78kWh usable) battery for the most powerful dual-motor Recharge Twin, up from 78kWh.
It also ushers in a change in drivetrain for the single-motor option, with power now sent solely to the rear wheels, which, Volvo says, is to aid efficiency. Recharge Twin keep four-wheel-drive layout.
This efficiency equates to around 32km of increased range per single-motor model (up to 476km for the C40 and 460km for the XC40) although the Recharge Twin variants now have a quoted range of 509km (C40) and 500km (XC40) – up around 65km.
The update also includes a faster charging rate for the Recharge Twin of up to 200kW, slashing the 10-80 per cent charging time by 10 minutes to 27 minutes. This matches the charging time of the smaller-battery standard models, which keep the same 150kW speed.
Power rises across the range too, with a more powerful motor for the standard car increasing output from 170kW to 175kW. The already beefy Recharge Twin receives two different electric motors – 120kW at the front and 180kW at the rear (previously 150kW front and rear) – but retains the same overall 300kW output.
Production of the updated models will begin in May for the Recharge Twin and the single-motor variant will arrive later. However, the updated models are yet to be officially confirmed for Australia.
News of the update comes just a few weeks after Volvo pulled the covers off its new EX90 electric flagship, which will arrive in 2024 with a 579km range.
Will Rimell