2024 Volvo XC40 Recharge

Volvo’s march towards full electrification is well underway, and it doesn’t look like anything will stop it. Now, there are currently four fully-electric SUVs you can reserve on their website. However, only two have made it onto our streets here in the U.S. including their first EV, the XC40 Recharge. Which, as it turns out, continues to get better and better.

The 2024 Volvo XC40 Recharge started out as just the plain old XC40 back in 2019. It then acquired the Recharge signifier in 2021 when it became the brand’s first full battery-electric vehicle here in the U.S., not to be confused with the XC40 Recharge PHEV… Plug-In Hybrid… which unfortunately is not sold here.
Got all that? Good, let’s talk about what has changed recently to make the XC40 Recharge EV better than ever.

It may look mostly the same as when we last saw it back in 2021, but it did get some styling tweaks last year, and underneath that skin, and all the vegan and recycled materials, are some big changes for 20-24.
Foremost is a bigger battery. It comes in a new two-wheel-drive version of the XC40. Up to now, all XC40 Recharges have been all-wheel drive. With just a single 185 kilowatt motor rated at 248 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque and a larger 82 kilowatt-hour battery pack, range jumps from the previous max of 223 miles to 293.

Now, we put it to the test on a cold and rainy spring day, and fell well short of that max number. But our pace of 251-miles, at the end of our driving loop, was still a significant improvement.

Twin-motor all-wheel-drive XC40s keep the same 78 kilowatt-hour battery as before, but also take advantage of that new rear motor, as well as get an upgraded front motor too. New software treats that front motor as more of a traction assist to be used only when needed.

So, range is up for it too, now rated at 254 miles. Full one-pedal driving is also included. XC40s with the extended range battery have a charging upgrade too, now taking up to 200-kilowatt DC fast charging for an 80% charge in 28 minutes.

As for charging off the starting line at our test track, it certainly didn’t have the rush of acceleration that the twin-motor displays. Power built more gradually, more like a traditional ICE powertrain. We’ve been seeing that approach from other EV makers recently as well, and we’re onboard with that.

Once full power did arrive, we hit 60 in a still quite quick 6.4 seconds; and power delivery stayed strong throughout the quarter-mile instead of tapering off like many EVs do. The full quarter-mile catapult ended in 15.2 seconds at 92 miles-per-hour.

Volvo has also tweaked the suspension to provide a smoother ride on the street, but with the same low center of gravity as before, combined with rear-wheel drive, the XC40 Recharge felt more than capable through our handling course.

Nothing really changes inside. All occupants are met with a pretty plush yet very practical design. That means great materials, good comfort front and rear, and Volvo’s Google-based infotainment system.

XC40 Recharges are available in 3 trim levels: Core, Plus, and Ultimate, with all three now available in either rear or all-wheel drive. With the Twin Motor now essentially a $1,750 option, prices range from the base Single Motor Core’s $53,745 to top Twin Motor Ultimate at $61,845.

With a comprehensive powertrain and drivetrain makeover, the 2024 Volvo XC40 Recharge accomplishes more than just offering more range and more options for buyers, it has become a more compelling EV choice than ever.