- Volvo adds single-motor, FWD C40 Recharge crossover to its lineup, promising a range of 269 miles in the WLTP cycle.
- The single-motor version will be powered by a 69-kWh battery, as opposed to a 75-kWh battery in the dual-motor, AWD version of the crossover.
- Volvo has also given the XC40 Recharge a mild visual update, as the model it is based on enters its fifth year in market.
Volvo’s Polestar sister brand may have enjoyed the most fanfare in recent months, with the recent reveals of upcoming battery-electric models, but Volvo itself isn’t standing still when it comes to EVs.
Over the weekend the automaker announced the addition of another variant to its electric lineup, signaling the impending arrival of the single-motor C40 Recharge.
Having debuted for the 2022 model year, the dual-motor C40 Recharge has been the sole electric model in Volvo’s lineup to not have a corresponding gas-engined twin, unlike the XC40 Recharge.
The coupe-shaped crossover will now be offered in single-motor, front-wheel-drive flavor, powered by a 69-kWh battery. Volvo says this version features a range of 269 miles in the WLTP cycle, but hasn’t announced the model’s EPA-estimated range just yet.
In contrast, the dual-motor C40 Recharge features a slightly larger 75-kWh battery, a 402-hp combined output, and a 226-mile EPA rating. We expect the range of the single-motor version to land a bit above this number, but to stay below the 269-mile WLTP number.
So the gain could be quite modest, with the difference in price perhaps more readily felt at time of purchase. We expect the single-motor model to land a few thousand below the starting price of its dual-motor twin, which starts at $59,845. Detailed pricing for the model is expected to be announced closer to the start of sales.
“The new single-motor C40, with power on the front wheels, expands the company’s range of fully electric variants to four, further paving the way towards its ambition of selling only fully electric cars by 2030,” Volvo adds.
The automaker is also giving its XC40 Recharge sibling a modest visual update, with a new grille plate and bumper design. The gas-engined XC40 has been on sale longer than its battery-electric sibling, since 2017 in fact, so the model is now receiving a few tweaks to bring it in line with the coupe-shaped C40 Recharge, including pixel LED headlights.
“As we move towards becoming a fully electric company, our design language follows,” said Robin Page, head of design at Volvo Cars. “With the refreshed fully electric XC40, we continue to evolve its instantly recognizable design, creating a more modern face with a sleeker front and an even more integrated grille.”
It’s worth noting the XC40 Recharge is likely the last battery-electric Volvo to be based on a gas-engined model and to arrive well after sales of the gas-engined model had started. Volvo intends for half of its lineup to be composed of battery-electric models by 2025, and to be EV-only by 2030. With the XC40 having debuted a full five years ago, its replacement is perhaps not too far over the horizon.
