The fully electric Volvo C40 Recharge and XC40 Recharge models have been updated for the 2024 model year to offer increased close to 300 miles, thanks to two new power trains offered on the C40 Recharge and XC40 Recharge.

The addition of rear-wheel drive variants – the first time in 25 years that Volvo Car USA is offering a rear-wheel drive product – provides improved range while maintaining the safe and secure driving dynamics typical of Volvo cars.

Another first for Volvo Cars is that the second-generation permanent magnet electric motor driving the rear axles for the fully electric C40 and XC40 models has been developed in-house at Volvo Cars.

“These updates are another big step in our work towards becoming a fully electric car maker by 2030,” said Javier Varela, chief operating officer and deputy chief executive at Volvo Cars, in a recent news release. “Range and charging times are new key factors for more and more of our customers, and these improvements make our fully electric models even more attractive than they already were.”

The Return of Rear-Wheel Power

With the weight of the battery and motors more evenly distributed throughout the vehicle, traction for the rear wheels is greatly improved when compared with a traditional front-engine ICE car.

The new single motor extended range C40 Recharge and XC40 Recharge feature a powerful 185 kW (248 hp) permanent magnet e-motor on the rear axle and an 82kWh battery pack. This combination of a more energy-dense battery and efficient motor allows the C40 Recharge and XC40 Recharge to achieve up to 297 and 293 miles of range, respectively on the combined EPA test cycle.

Charging power has improved as the uprated 82 kWh battery pack allows for charging at a top rate of 200 kW DC. Charging the car from 10% to 80% state-of-charge takes about 28 minutes.

An Updated All-Wheel Drive Variant

The twin motor all-wheel drive variants also benefit from these updates, providing them with additional range.

The previous set-up of two 150 kW electric motors on both front and rear axles has been replaced by Volvo's in-house developed 255 hp electric motor on the rear axle and a new 147 hp asynchronous electric motor on the front axle.

As the asynchronous motor does not require a constant electrical charge, the twin motor conserves energy by engaging the front-axle drive only when it’s needed, contributing to the improvements in range.

The twin motor variants of the C40 Recharge and XC40 Recharge retain the 78kWh battery pack with a top charging rate of 150 kW DC. This means the XC40 Recharge twin motor AWD can now drive up to 254 miles, a 31-mile boost over the previous iteration.

The range of the C40 Recharge twin motor has improved up to 257 miles from 226 miles (combined EPA cycle).

Exterior updates also help contribute to efficiency gains. For example, a new 19-inch alloy wheel for the C40 and XC40 Recharge not only boosts the overall look of the models, but it also helps to reduce drag through its aerodynamic design.

Additional changes across the Volvo line-up of cars and SUVs include new exterior paint colors and updates to available exterior themes.