Volvo EX40 replaces the XC40 Recharge, new Black Edition trim arrives

• Volvo XC40 Recharge now named EX40
• C40 Recharge now named EC40
• Black Edition for EX40, EC40 and XC40

Volvo has announced revised model names for its electric XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge models, which are now called the Volvo EX40 and EC40 respectively. The move aligns the two models with Volvo’s latest electric cars, the Volvo EX30 SUV, the EX90 SUV and the EM90 MPV.

To further streamline the naming strategy, all plug-in hybrid Volvos will lose their ‘Recharge’ moniker, instead solely adopting a ‘T6’ or ‘T8’ badge to indicate which engine is fitted. By separating electric models with an ‘E’ model name, Volvo hopes to make it even easier for customers to decipher which models are electric or petrol-powered.

What else is new for the Volvo EX40 and EC40?

Along with the new names, twin-motor versions of the EX40 and EC40 benefit from a new Performance pack, boosting the power output by 34bhp for a total of 436bhp. Volvo has stated the Performance pack can be retrofitted as an ‘over-the-air’ update to existing XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge models in certain markets, although it’s not clear if this will come to the UK.

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New Black Edition models will join the EX40, EC40 and XC40 ranges, too, following in the tyre treads of the Volvo XC60 Black Edition launched last year. As the name suggests, these cars will come in a unique black paint scheme with black badges, black 20-inch alloy wheels and a black interior.

What does this mean for car buyers?

Volvo’s choice to adjust its model naming system for the XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge is a welcome development, and should make the lineup much clearer for prospective Volvo customers. It should also help to promote Volvo’s electric variants from mere subsidiaries of the petrol powered models to mainstream standalone offerings in the lineup. 

Buyers appear to be onboard with electrification, with sales figures for electric Volvo models increasing by 70% from 2022 to 2023. EVs are soon to make up the core of Volvo’s lineup, with the brand aiming to move entirely electric by 2030.

Read our list of the top 10 best electric SUVs to see what the EX40 is up against