Volvo XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge RENAMED Volvo EX40 and EC40

Volvo has renamed the XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge to EX40 and EC40 respectively amongst a range of updates for 2024.

Despite a lot of antipathy from private buyers towards EVs, Volvo is ploughing ahead with its aim to be a maker of only electric cars by 2030.

Volvo says their EV sales in 2023 amounted to 17% of total sales, but with new EVs from Volvo – the EX90, EX30 and EM90 – coming to customers this year that figure is likely to increase a fair bit.

So Volvo has decided it’s time to integrate their ‘Legacy’ EVs – the XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge – in to their EV range properly by changing their names. So the XC40 Recharge becomes the EX40 and the C40 Recharge becomes the EC40. The ‘Recharge’ badge is dropped altogether, including for PHEVs which now carry just T6 or T8 badges.

Also on offer is a Performance Pack for the EX40 and EC40 which increases power on the twin motor versions to 436bhp and brings quicker pedal response too, and a Black Pack for the EX40, EC40 and XC40 with Onyx Black paint, 20″ Black alloys and microtech or textile charcoal interiors.

Finally, the B5 mild-hybrid variants of the XC60 and XC90 get a few tweaks to marginally improve (by 4% and 2% respectively) emissions and economy.

Volvo’s Bjorn Annwall said:

By aligning our trailblazing first electric models with the rest of our electric car portfolio, we simplify choice for consumers as we continue to electrify our line-up and refresh our hybrids.

The new offerings will start to arrive with customers in the early summer.