From P8 to EC40: the electric Volvo XC40 changed its name more often

XC40 becomes EX40, C40 becomes EC40. That takes some getting used to, but it secretly makes sense. The electric sister models are thus brought into line with newer EVs from Volvo, the EX30 and the EX90. Moreover, the petrol-fired XC40 will continue to be called simply the That is good news, because they have struggled with that there in Sweden…

That all started in 2020, when the Volvo XC40, launched in 2017, became electric for the first time. The first electric XC40 always had four-wheel drive and 408 hp and is also popularly called ‘P8’. That was also stated on the tailgate, but on the price list Volvo called it ‘XC40 Recharge P8 AWD Pure Electric’. ‘Recharge’, because rechargeable, ‘P8 AWD’, because four-wheel drive, ‘Pure Electric’, because electric.

Is all that necessary? Apparently, although people started to have some doubts about P8 in 2021. The number was pushed a little further back in the name, so that it now had ‘XC40 Recharge Pure Electric’ as the model name, followed by ‘P8 AWD’ as the version. The only version, but that changed later that year. Then a front-wheel drive, single-engine XC40 was launched. The name ‘P6’ is whispered (also by Volvo itself), but on the Dutch price list it became ‘XC40 Recharge Pure Electric’. The four-wheel drive was still there, and distinguished itself with the name ‘XC40 Recharge Twin Pure Electric’. The ‘twin’ of course stands for the two electric motors present.

In 2022, Volvo believes it is time for some important updates. The XC40 will be given the nose of the now launched C40 in the spring. Later this year, both models will benefit from a major technical update, with the single-motor version switching from front to rear-wheel drive. Please note: these are two separate events and there are also C40s and facelift XC40s with front-wheel drive. The two-wheel drive versions are now also available with the larger battery of the four-wheel drive versions, but not as standard.

You guessed it: it comes with a name. RWD The four-wheel drive is funnily enough called ‘XC40 Recharge Twin Pure Electric Twin Motor’ on the price list, with ‘Twin’ twice.

Volvo EX40.

Fortunately, with the latest update it has all become a bit simpler and shorter. The electric The somewhat forced ‘Recharge’ and ‘Pure Electric’ can now finally disappear. There is still a distinction between versions with one or two engines and a large or small battery, a distinction that Volvo makes in the naming, as before. Are you still there?