Volvo XC40, C40 Updates Include Increased Range, Bigger Battery
Could this point to an upgrade in the North American Volvo C40 and XC40 recharge EVs?
The Volvo XC40 Recharge and C40 are two sides of the same small EV Volvo crossover, but the range has admittedly not been as strong as some competitors. As reported by Autocar, it looks like Volvo is striving to make the two cars more competitive, the C40 and XC40 Recharge have gotten a few updates that have boosted the range.
For starters, the C40 and XC40 get a new battery, now 82 kWh in size, the larger battery is 4 kWh up from the original 78 kWh. The single-motor cars get a power bump to 235 horsepower. The dual-motor cars have the same power as before, but now the power balance has been rejiggered; the front motor is weaker (161 horsepower), but the rear motor is stronger (242 horsepower), to make the cumulative 402 horsepower. Last year’s car used identical 201 horsepower units both front and back to get the same output.
Interestingly enough, the single-motor C40 and XC40 Recharge have shifted to rear-wheel-drive, meaning the single motor that propels is at the back, not the front. Volvo says this shift is also responsible for part of the range boost; under European range testing, the cars gain a boost of 22 miles over the old model.
So far, it seems like these changes are limited to European markets. No word from Volvo yet, but we expect similar updates to make their way to the North American versions of the Volvo C40 and XC40 Recharge very soon.
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Kevin has been obsessed with cars ever since he could talk. He even learned to read partially by learning and reading the makes and models on the back of cars, only fueling his obsession. Today, he is an automotive journalist and member of the Automotive Press Association. He is well-versed in electrification, hybrid cars, and vehicle maintenance.
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What is the final range after this upgrade?