Volvo XC40 survives the brand’s electric-car revolution

The Volvo XC40 has lived through nearly every stage of the Swedish brand’s shift toward electric vehicles. It began as a combustion-powered model, became available as a hybrid and later gained a fully electric version called the XC40 Recharge.

That electric variant was renamed the EX40 when Volvo changed its naming system. The XC40 remains the combustion-powered model, preserving its role as one of the brand’s familiar entry points.

The model’s history reflects Volvo’s broader change in direction. The company once said it would remove combustion engines, including hybrids, from its portfolio by 2030. Five years later, it softened that goal. Volvo now aims for between 90% and 100% of global sales in 2030 to come from electrified vehicles, a definition that includes fully electric cars, hybrids and plug-in hybrids.

Volvo continues to orient its product strategy and investment toward electric vehicles, but it has decided to keep both technologies as market conditions and customer demand change. The XC40 therefore remains part of a range that spans the transition rather than marking a clean break from older powertrains.

The compact SUV keeps Volvo’s restrained styling, with simple lines, compact proportions and a relatively square body. Its front carries the brand’s familiar grille and Thor’s Hammer headlights, while the rear uses simple lighting to preserve its recognizable shape. Inside, most functions sit on a central screen running Google-based infotainment, including Google Maps, Google Assistant, applications and connected services. The source describes its acceleration as sufficient for city and highway driving, with a smooth automatic transmission and light steering.