What's in a Name? Volvo Reveals 'XC40 Recharge' and 'Volvo Recharge'

Volvo Cars’ new electric crossover has a name, and it just happens to be something people hate doing. The XC40 is the brand’s new EV, crafted out of the compact XC40 crossover and helped in its mission by the model’s versatile modular platform. To make it work, Volvo first carried out some alterations. See details here.

“Recharge” isn’t just the name applied to the brand’s new EV ⁠— it’s a new sub-brand under which all upcoming EVs and plug-in hybrids will reside. An invitation to confusion or buried psychological disdain? Possibly.

As plug-in hybrids are not a new thing in the Volvo lineup, the brand already boasts numerous vehicles worthy of the badge. And they’ll get that badge, starting now. As more fully-electric models enter the fray, they too will gain a Recharge label.

It’s something of an odd strategy to lump both PHEVs and EVs under the same banner, as donning the name “Recharge” implies that the vehicle requires it. In a PHEV, one needn’t plug in their vehicle ever again, should they choose to ignore why they paid thousands more for such a feature.

As for EVs, range anxiety remains an issue afflicting the segment, despite advances in battery capacity and driving radius. You can’t carry a jerry can of electricity back to your car after paying the occupants of a nearby farmhouse for it. With this in mind, naming a vehicle after the thing that weighs heavily on the psyche of some buyers is an interesting decision.

Then again, Volvo has an aggressive electrification plan underway. The brand hopes to make EVs account for half of the automaker’s sales by 2025 ⁠— a lofty goal, to be sure, given current adoption rates (Europe and Asia will clearly do the heavy lifting). All Volvo models will be electrified in some way under the plan, meaning no purely gas-powered vehicles. The automaker expects PHEVs to make up 20 percent of its volume next year.

“From early 2020 customers entering the Volvo Cars website will first be asked whether they want a Volvo Recharge car or not,” the automaker stated. “To further encourage electric driving, every Volvo Recharge plug-in hybrid model will come with free electricity for a year, provided through a refund for the average electricity cost during that period.”

As for the XC40 Recharge, the all-wheel drive crossover generates up to 408 horsepower and boasts a range of 249 miles on the European WLTP cycle. EPA figures should pare this back to just over 200 miles.

The XC40 Recharge carries another innovation for the company that, like the powertrain, is often associated with the act of recharging. The model is Volvo’s first vehicle outfitted with Google’s Android operating system as the brains behind the infotainment screen.

Expect pricing to land closer to the model’s on-sale date.

[Images: Volvo Cars]