The Volvo XC40 is available in Australia as petrol, plug-in hybrid (PHEV) or pure electric (BEV) versions. The PHEV and BEV versions are denoted by the addition of the ‘Recharge’ badge. (Note: only the BEV version is covered in this Fact Sheet).
The XC40 Recharge BEV is Volvo’s first full-electric vehicle, with overseas sales beginning in late 2020. Australian sales began in mid-2021.
The XC40 Recharge BEV is classified as a compact SUV. Competitors for this space include the Nissan Leaf e+, Kia e-Niro, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Mercedes EQA and the long-delayed (but soon to arrive?) Tesla Model Y.
Volvo XC40 Recharge Variants
| Variant | Battery (kWh) | WLTP Range (km) | EPA Range (km) | Power Output (kW) | Torque (Nm) | Plug Types (AC/DC) | Max Charge Rate (AC/DC) | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEV | 78 kWh | 400 | 335 | 300 kW | 660 Nm | AC(Type 2) / DC (CCS2) | 11/150 | $76, 990 + |
DRIVING RANGE
Australian test standards are currently in a state of flux, with the Green Vehicle Guide showing some vehicle driving ranges using either an equivalent to the old (and highly over optimistic) European NEDC test cycle figure or the newer European WLTP test cycle figure. Worse still, for recent additions to the Australian market the GVG often gives no data is given at all! Around town, the WLTP figure is the best guide to range or, if doing outer suburban to regional driving – use the US EPA figure.
Using the US EPA range, an XC40 Recharge should be capable of a return trip from the Melbourne GPO to Wye River (just past Lorne on the Victorian south coast) – provided neither the heating nor air conditioning were heavily used. For this sort of trip, it could be useful to do either a 1 hour 7kW charge at the Lorne Visitor Information Centre, or a 10 to 15 min DC fast-charge at Torquay, Ocean Grove or Werribee.
CHARGING SPEEDS/REQUIREMENTS
The XC40 Recharge is fitted with a CCS2 socket allowing it to charge via Type 2 AC chargers as well as CCS2 DC fast-chargers.
AC charging:
Like all new EVs sold in Australia, the XC40 Recharge is fitted with a type 2 AC socket as part of the CCS2 AC/DC charge plug system.
Charging rates:
Single phase: maximum of 7.4 kW (32A)
Three phase: maximum of 11 kW (16A per phase)
Charging speeds and times vary on the capacity of the EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment) it is connected to and the chosen battery size. Charging times for the XC40 recharge are shown in the table .
DC fast charging:
The XC40 recharge uses the CCS2 DC fast-charge connector and can charge at up to 150 kW DC.
This connector is fast becoming the majority DC fast-charge connector type in both Australia and overseas.
Volvo XC40 Recharge Time to Charge (hrs)
| Battery size (kWh) | 10A socket | 15A 1 phase | 32A 1 phase | 16A or 32A 3 phase | DC Fast Charge (50kW) | DC Fast Charge (150kW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78 | 38.5h | 24h | 12h | 8.25h | 82m | 37m |
HOME CHARGING CONSIDERATIONS
To get the shortest home charging time for an XC40 Recharge, an 11 kW three phase AC EVSE would be needed.
However, depending on your existing power supply and/or charging needs, a lower rated EVSE may only be practicable, or needed. (See notes below). Lower capacity EVSEs will increase charging times, as shown in the table .
The e-tron also comes with a Mode 2 portable EVSE for plugging into a 10A power point. Charging an XC40 Recharge from 0 – 100% with this EVSE will take around 38.5 hours.
Volvo XC40 Recharge Specifications
| Cargo space (litres) | Cargo Space with rear seats folded (litres) | Length (mm) | Width (mm) | Width with mirrors (mm) | Height (mm) | Tow Rating (braked / unbraked) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 413 | 1289 | 4425 | 1910 | 2034 | 1651 | 1500/750 |
