Volvo XC40 Recharge electric range, battery & charging

Two versions of the XC40 Recharge are available, with the cheaper single-motor model getting a 69kWh battery, while the range-topping twin version is fitted with the same 78kWh battery as the Long-Range Polestar 2. However, the Polestar can go further than its Volvo cousin – and so can other, less expensive electric cars like the Kia e-Niro and Hyundai Ioniq 5. However, the electric XC40’s rapid-charging capability slightly makes up for its shortcomings in the range department.

Volvo XC40 Recharge electric range

Volvo claims the dual-motor XC40 Recharge is capable of 259 miles on a single charge, which in theory puts it level with the standard-range version of the Ford Mustang Mach-E and within 20 miles of the standard-range Tesla Model 3. But when we tested the electric XC40, we only saw around 200-230 miles, which is almost the same as the entry-level Audi Q4 e-tron can cover – for £10,000 less. But if you don’t commute vast distances or plan on using the electric XC40 for long road trips very often, it should be plenty for most drivers. 

The same is true for the single-motor XC40 Recharge, which according to Volvo can cover 261 miles on a full battery. We’ve yet to get behind the wheel of this version to find out how efficient it is, but for reference, the entry-level Polestar 2 can go slightly further, with a 273-mile range, but also costs nearly £10,000 less.

Charge time

Run the battery flat, and recharging at home from a standard 7.4kW wallbox will take a full 12 hours for the twin-motor model, or just under 11 hours for the entry-level version. Or, if your property has three-phase electricity, the XC40 Recharge can take advantage of faster 11kW home charging, reducing those times to just under seven and just over eight hours respectively for the smaller and larger batteries. The XC40 Recharge is also capable of charging at up 150kW from a public rapid charger, meaning a top up from 10-80% capacity takes just over 30 minutes.