As part of a new package of product updates, Volvo has improved both the range (WLTP) and charging for the XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge compared with the outgoing model year, increasing range by as much as 60 kilometers (approx. 37 miles) on some variants.

Also, three new powertrains are offered on the C40 Recharge and XC40 Recharge. These include two rear-wheel-drive variants – the first time in 25 years that Volvo is offering a rear-wheel-drive product – as well as a revised all-wheel-drive performance model.

Another first for the company is that the second-generation permanent magnet electric motor driving the rear axles for the fully electric C40 and XC40 models has been developed in-house at Volvo Cars.

The single motor with standard range is driven by a 175kW permanent magnet electric motor (e-motor), which provides a 3% increase in power output over the outgoing 170kW single-motor front-wheel drive variant.

In the XC40 Recharge single motor, the same 69kWh battery capacity is carried over, but enhancements in cooling efficiency mean it can now deliver an increased range of up to 460 kilometers (approx. 286 miles), according to the WLTP test cycle, compared with 425 kilometers (approx. 264 miles) before.

The range of the C40 Recharge single motor meanwhile improves up to 476 kilometers (approx. 295 miles) from 438 kilometers (approx. 272 miles). A 10-80% charge takes approximately 34 minutes using a 130kW DC public charger.

A larger battery coupled with a more powerful, 185kW permanent magnet e-motor on the rear axle is also available. This second new variant comes with an 82kWh battery pack which boosts range up to 515 kilometers (approx. 320 miles) for the XC40 Recharge single motor extended range and up to 533 kilometers (approx. 331 miles) for the C40 Recharge single motor extended range.

Here, too, Volvo says charging power has been improved as the larger battery pack allows for charging at an updated top rate of 200kW DC (previously 150kW DC maximum), while a 10-80% charge takes approximately 28 minutes.

Elsewhere in the product portfolio, the plug-in hybrid models in Volvo’s 90 and 60 Series got a new two-phase on-board charger that allows these models to charge at a faster rate, the company says (depending on the market). The new on-board charger almost doubles the maximum charge capability on these cars to 6.4kW.