Volvo C40

Volvo C40 at a glance

The C40 sits in the Volvo catalogue next to the XC40 and the smaller EX30, and you can browse other battery models in our electric cars section.

Generations and model history

There is only one C40 generation. The name changed, the mechanicals were revised for the 2023 model year, but the body has stayed the same since 2021.

2021: launch as a Twin Motor only. The first cars had a motor on each axle with a combined 300 kW (408 hp) and 660 Nm. Volvo quoted 0-100 km/h in 4.7 seconds and an electronically limited 180 km/h. The 78 kWh battery (75 kWh usable) gave an estimated 420 km WLTP in Volvo's preliminary data; the US EPA rated it at 226 miles (364 km), three miles more than the boxier XC40 Recharge.

2022: single motor. A cheaper front-drive version with 170 kW and a 69 kWh battery followed, with up to 438 km WLTP.

2023: rear-wheel drive and bigger batteries. In early 2023 Volvo moved the single motor to the rear axle. The standard car got 175 kW and up to 476 km WLTP, while a new Extended Range version combined a 185 kW motor with an 82 kWh battery and up to 533 km. The Twin Motor now paired a 183 kW rear motor with a 117 kW asynchronous front motor and the 82 kWh pack, for up to 507 km.

2024: EC40. With its new naming scheme, Volvo renamed the C40 Recharge as EC40 and the XC40 Recharge as EX40. Belgian price lists from March 2024 show three outputs: Single Motor with 175 kW (238 PS), Single Motor Extended Range with 185 kW (252 PS) and Twin Motor Performance with about 325 kW (442 PS).

Motors, batteries and charging

On AC power the launch car charged at 11 kW, which Volvo said took about 8 hours. All versions use a single fixed reduction gear. The ranges above are Volvo's own WLTP figures and depend on wheels and equipment; the coupe roof gives the C40 a small advantage over the XC40 in every pairing Volvo published (533 vs 515 km for the Extended Range, for example).

Dimensions, space and boot

The roofline costs rear headroom and some boot height compared with the XC40, but the floor, rear doors and front cabin are the same. Volvo's launch specification gives 413 litres including the underfloor compartment; the US-market 31-litre front trunk shrinks to 21 litres. Euro NCAP weighed its 2022 test car at 2,149 kg.

Running costs and prices

An electric C40 has no fuel bill in the usual sense, but it is a heavy car: over 2.1 tonnes for the Twin Motor, which shows in tyre wear and in efficiency at motorway speeds. The larger 82 kWh battery and the faster 200 kW DC charging arrived with the 2023 update, so a 2023-on car is the better long-distance tool.

Volvo Belgium's March 2024 list for the EC40 started at EUR 53,950 for the Single Motor Core and went up to EUR 68,100 for the Twin Motor Performance Ultra Black Edition. The Extended Range Core cost EUR 57,050 and the Twin Motor Performance Plus EUR 64,000.

Trims and equipment

The EC40 range in 2024 was split into Core, Plus and Ultra, with Black Edition versions of each motor. The interior is the XC40's, with a vertical centre touchscreen running Google-based software. Volvo marketed the C40 from launch with a leather-free interior, and early cars were sold mainly online in many markets.

Safety: Euro NCAP

Euro NCAP tested the C40 Recharge in 2022 and gave it five stars: 92% for adult occupant protection, 89% for child occupants, 70% for vulnerable road users and 89% for safety assist. Euro NCAP later relabelled the result as "EC40 (formerly C40 Recharge)". Our safety ratings section lists results for comparable electric SUVs.

Reliability and production outlook

We have not found model-specific reliability data from a large owner survey for the C40, so we do not list typical faults here. What is documented is the production outlook: according to Belgian union delegates quoted in March 2026, EX40 and EC40 production in Ghent is expected to stop from 2027 without a direct replacement there, as the next generation moves to Volvo's new plant in Kosice, Slovakia. Volvo has neither confirmed nor denied this. In 2025 the EX40 and EC40 together accounted for about 42,000 cars, roughly one in five built in Ghent.

Rivals

The obvious alternative is the EX40 with the same motors and a more practical roof. For a side-by-side check of current figures, use our comparison tool.

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