Volvo renames XC40 and C40 Recharge models EX40 and EC40 to help them fall in line with the rest of the EX lineup and also gives ICE-powered models separate updates as the company prepares to expand its presence in the green vehicle market while also giving the firm time to hone the bigger EX90 and EX30 model.
Volvo EC40 and Volvo EX40 Black Edition add style to EV experience
Despite growing headwinds slowing the broader race toward full electrification, many automakers are still committed to an all-electric future.
Volvo is one such company and the Swedish luxury car maker revealed that it’s not only giving several updates to two of its smallest EV offerings but that it will also be renaming them so they can officially join the EX family.
New Identity Brings Fresh Start To EX40 & EC40
A prominent update that many EV buyers will notice is that the XC40 and C40 names have been scrapped. In their place is the EX moniker with the XC40 being renamed the EX40 while the C40 has been rechristened EC40.
Volvo’s EC40 is the former C40 Recharge. The Recharge naming convention now disappears.
The duo also lose the Recharge portion of their monikers with this latter move helping the pair fall in line with other members of the EX-lineup which also don’t use the Recharge wording in their nameplates. The XC moniker will still be around, but moving forward, it will be used exclusively on ICE-powered Volvo models.
In addition to the new names, the pair also get several updates that aim to give them a fresh start in the eyes of EV buyers.
A new Performance-focused software update will be available on the twin-motor versions of the EX40 and EC40 which adds 34 extra horsepower to the powertrain when the driver selects the included Performance Drive mode feature.
This mode helps bump total power up to 436 hp and it even enhances the pedal mapping for sharper responses as well.
Volvo EC40 rear profile
Lastly, the EX40, EC40, and the ICE-powered XC40 also get a new Black Edition package. Blackout packages are nothing new and like the ones that rivals Lincoln, Lexus, and even Cadillac use.
The Black Edition package here on these models is mainly an aesthetic upgrade. Buyers that choose the package get Onyx Black paint, 20-inch five-spoke gloss black alloy wheels, and microtech or textile charcoal interiors.
ICE Models Also Get Updates
While the bulk of the updates are centered on the EV side of the coin, the existing ICE variants also get some tweaks too. The B5 mild-hybrid engine in the larger XC60 and XC90 SUVs gets software revisions of its own to help increase fuel economy by 4% when measured under the WTLP system.
It’s not known when these changes will come to U.S. spec versions of the XC40 and the C40 but the pair could emerge as unlikely spearheads for the EX moniker in certain markets. This is due to Volvo being forced to delay the launches of the EX90 and the EX30 in Europe due to software issues.
These delays could force the newly rechristened EX40 and EC40 to be the gateway models into the brand which would give customers a glimpse into what the EV lineup is all about while giving the company time to iron out the bugs in the bigger models.
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