Volvo poised to add lower cost single-motor XC40 Recharge to Australia

Following the hugely successful launch of its XC40 Recharge in Australia, Swedish automotive giant Volvo is reportedly planning to bring a more affordable single-motor version of the 2023 XC40 Recharge in the third quarter of 2022.

While there is no official word yet from Volvo, a company spokesperson told local automotive news site Drive that the company was “fast-tracking a business case to include the variant” as part of the promised facelifted Model Year 2023 XC40 range due out in the second half of next year.

Volvo published new photos in the middle of November of its Model Year 2022 XC40 in Germany which will undergo a minor facelift, updating the design to bring it in line with the brand’s coupe-style C40 Recharge.

Though the facelifted version of the XC40 Recharge will be Model Year 2022, Volvo Australia has confirmed that it will be labelled Model Year 2023 when it arrives in Australia next year.

But the potential single-motor XC40 Recharge follows hot on the heels of the successful launch in Australia of the 2021 XC40 range, which includes the XC40 mild hybrid and the two XC40 Recharge models consisting of the all-electric and plug-in hybrid.

The first allocation of XC40 Recharge models were sold out in Australia within days of its launch, with 131 all-electric models out of the total 360 XC40s allocated in Australia.

With a starting price of $76,990 before on-roads, the all-electric XC40 Recharge offers up to 425km driving range (WLTP) from its 72.5kWh battery, 300kw maximum power and 660Nm maximum torque.

Such a successful launch for the XC40 Recharge allowed the vehicle to claim the top spot for monthly (non-Tesla) electric car sales in Australia, just shy of taking the record for launch month sales set by MG ZS EV (169) and the Porsche Taycan (161).