Volvo Car UK has opened order books for its refreshed 40-series range. The electric EX40 and EC40 are now available to order in the UK, with on-the-road prices starting at £43,860 and £45,860 respectively. Volvo also offers the XC40 with B3 and B4 petrol mild-hybrid engines, priced from £37,710. The three models form Volvo’s 40-series range in the UK.
According to Volvo, the updated electric cars feature “a more confident interpretation of Volvo’s Scandinavian design language”. The visible changes include redesigned front bumpers, a new bonnet and front wings, an updated grille and new “Thor’s Hammer Matrix” LED headlights. Volvo says the 15-segment lighting technology adapts the beam to road conditions while avoiding dazzling oncoming drivers.
Revised naming and output
The refresh introduces a new naming structure for the electric models. The former Single and Twin Motor variants are now called P5 Electric, P5 Long Range and P8 Performance AWD, matching the approach used on the smaller EX30. The top P8 Performance AWD variant produces 325 kW, up from 300 kW, an increase of 25 kW. Its front motor contributes 135 kW and its rear motor 190 kW.
Volvo says the entry-level P5 Electric has slightly more range than the previous base EX40 because of more efficient electric motors. The EX40 can be specified with rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, while the EC40 is available with rear-wheel drive or the P8 all-wheel-drive powertrain.
Prices, specifications and range
The EX40’s £43,860 starting price applies to the P5 Long Range Plus specification, which Volvo quotes at up to 345 miles of range. The EC40 starts at £45,860 in P5 Long Range Plus Pro specification and is quoted at up to 359 miles. These figures are the manufacturer’s range claims for the respective specifications, and the prices are on-the-road figures.
The XC40’s B3 and B4 petrol mild-hybrid engines are both paired with a seven-speed automatic gearbox. The B3 Core specification starts at £37,710 on the road. Depending on the powertrain, Volvo offers the XC40 in Core, Plus, Plus Pro, Ultra and Ultra Pro trims.
The new P5 and P8 names apply to the electric EX40 and EC40. The XC40 is listed with both B3 and B4 petrol mild-hybrid engines rather than those electric names. Volvo also describes the electric cars in the 40-series range as emission-free and the XC40 as a semi-electric car. The UK line-up therefore combines fully electric EX40 and EC40 models with the mild-hybrid XC40, while the refreshed electric cars adopt the new variant names and front-end design.