Volvo Cars has revealed information about its C40 and XC40 Recharge EVs for the 2024 model year after previously teasing certain upcoming improvements. By creating an entirely novel engine in-house, Volvo is able to offer more varied powertrain options, all of which promise increased range.
One of the established automakers, Volvo Cars, has made a public commitment to selling solely electric cars by the year 2030. When the business introduced the XC40 Recharge, a BEV variant of its XC40 SUV, that journey really got going.
The C40 Recharge, that accomplishes Volvo’s current portfolio of all-electric vehicles, was released a year after it. The impending EX90, whose early consumer demand has caused Volvo to stop orders, claiming an overwhelming demand as it sets to start its inaugural year of production, will, however, soon join those two models.
Volvo COO Javier Varela announced the company’s plans to increase EV sales by upgrading its 2024 EVs, more notably the C40 Recharge and XC40 Recharge, in January of this year. On the strength of an entirely novel in-house motor architecture and the incorporation of a RWD variant—the first in any Volvo Cars car in the US in 25 years—the automaker was predicting gains to range and charging rates at the time.
A normal and an extended-range variant of the RWD layout on the 2024 Volvo EVs were also detailed at the time by the manufacturer. The business today formally unveiled its 2024 lineup of electric vehicle (EV) models for the US, which includes two (rather than three) engine options and EPA-estimated ranges.
Volvo EVs in 2024 will have improved motors and longer ranges
According to the information provided today by Volvo Cars USA, buyers will soon be able to order a brand-new 2024 XC40 Recharge or C40 Recharge EV, equipped with several of the upgrades originally promised.
First, Volvo for the first time in-house built its second-generation permanent magnetic electric motor, which will now power the back axle of its RWD EVs. On the Volvo EV platform, the new and more effective 185-kW (248-hp) rear motor additionally opens up more space for an 82-kWh battery pack. As a result, the EPA estimates the range of the RWD variants of both C40 Recharge and XC40 Recharge to be up to 297 and 293 miles, respectively.
Additionally, the bigger 82-kWh battery pack supports charge rates of up to 200 kW, which, according to Volvo Cars, correlates to recharging 10-80% of the battery in about 28 minutes. Volvo stated that the 2024 AWD variants of its EVs will also have some range enhancements as a result of the upgraded back motor.
Volvo has installed a new 255-hp electric motor to the back and a new 147-hp asynchronous electric motor on the primary axle in place of the two 150-kW motors used in earlier iterations of the Recharge EVs. Despite keeping an identical 78-kWh battery capacity as previous model years, the AWD versions are more effective because the asynchronous motor only activates when necessary and doesn’t need constant energy.
According to Volvo, the 2024 dual-motor XC40 Recharge EV currently has an EPA range of up to 254 miles, an increase of 21 miles from the previous model. Additionally, the 2024 EV increased the range of the AWD C40 Recharge from Volvo from 226 miles to 257 miles.
Limited charge rates are another effect of AWD EVs using the same battery pack. In comparison to the new RWD variants, the dual-motor models are only going to be able to cope with 150 kW of rapid charging. Once more speaking, Volvo COO Javier Varela said:
“These updates are another significant step in our efforts towards establishing a fully electric vehicle manufacturer by 2030.” For an increasing number of our customers, range and time for charging are now crucial considerations, and these advancements make our completely electric cars even more alluring than they originally were.
Volvo’s current 2024 EV range does not contain any regular range RWD variants of either Recharge model, despite the fact that it was brought up back in January. The third variation won’t be available for the 2024 vehicles, according to Volvo Cars, who we contacted for clarification. For now, the US market will only be served by the 82 kWh RWD and dual motor models.