Charging your Volvo
Everything you need to know about charging your car
How to charge your car is a key part of electrified car ownership. Discover how a Volvo Recharge car could fit into your lifestyle.
Sometimes quiet is the most powerful way to go, with zero tailpipe emissions and less noise at all speeds. Powered by a high-voltage battery and dual electric motors, our XC40 Recharge pure electric is pure progress for the road ahead.
Less petrol, more purpose. In our Recharge plug-in hybrids, an electric motor and combustion engine team together for a choice of pure electric mode, power mode and hybrid mode, giving you total driving control and lower tailpipe emissions.
Our electrified Recharge powertrains
We offer two types of Recharge electrified powertrains, designed to accommodate a wide range of driving needs.
Where can I charge? Availability of charging plays a big role in the daily experience of owning an electric car.
Steady access to charging
If you park in a garage or driveway at home, or a spot with steady access to charging at work, it’s easy to integrate charging into your daily routine. Our pure electric and plug-in hybrid cars are both great options.
Occasional access to charging
With occasional dedicated access to charging, a plug-in hybrid car – which runs on fuel when you’re unable to charge – may offer greater flexibility. A pure electric car may also be great fit, depending on driving pattern.
Reliant on public charging
When relying on short-term public charging – like at your gym or a mall – a plug-in hybrid may be a great option. Alternatively, a mild hybrid - which captures braking energy, but doesn't need to be plugged in - could be an excellent fit.
How often would I need to charge? Frequency of charging depends on how far you usually drive in a day and the range of your car.
Short distances
With a pure electric, you should have enough range for your daily trips, and will likely only need to charge a few times per week. With a plug-in hybrid, you can drive each way in electric mode, but you may need to charge after each trip in order to minimize fuel usage.
Moderate distances
With a pure electric, you should have enough range for your daily trips, but may need to charge at each end-point. With a plug-in hybrid, you will be using a combination of electricity and fuel.
Longer distances
A pure electric can offer enough range for a long commute or weekend getaway, though you will need to coordinate charging opportunities. A plug-in hybrid will use a combination of electricity and fuel.
How long does it take to charge?
Charging times vary with charging format and vehicle type.*
* Charging times are also dependent on factors such as outdoor temperature, current battery temperature, charging equipment, battery condition and car condition.
Charging a pure electric car
To make the most of the battery life in a pure electric car, we recommend AC charging the battery up to 90 per cent capacity for typical daily driving, and preferably not letting the charge fall below 20 per cent. The car can offer plenty of range for daily trips, and you'll likely only need to top up the charge throughout the week.
With DC fast charging (50–150kW)
With 11kW AC fast charging/wallbox
Types of charging
A standard 220V household connector offers a typical charging rate of 7–14 km of range per hour, depending on country. This charging type is best suited for overnight charging of a plug-in hybrid or supplemental charging to top up a pure electric, but may not be practical for regularly charging a pure electric. For the fastest and most convenient charging at home, we recommend installing a wallbox.
A stationary wallbox is the fastest way to charge your pure electric or plug-in hybrid at home, typically offering 50–60 km of range per hour for the XC40 Recharge pure electric and taking 3–4 hours to fully charge a plug-in hybrid. This type of charging is also most common at many public charging stations.
DC fast charging is only available at public charging stations and is mainly used for pure electric cars, mostly on long journeys when time is at a premium. This charging type works at much higher voltage and current than typical AC charging and offers much shorter charging times, though the charging cost is significantly higher. In 10 minutes, you can typically gain up to 100 km of range at a 150 kW station or around 30 km of range at a 50 kW station.
Charging a plug-in hybrid car
Regularly charging the battery to 100% is a great way to make the most of a plug-in hybrid’s electric range. With the fuel engine present, charge can get low without concern.
With 3.6kW AC fast charging/wallbox
With AC charging 220V household connector
Types of charging
A standard 220V household connector offers a typical charging rate of 7–14 km of range per hour, depending on country. This charging type is best suited for overnight charging of a plug-in hybrid or supplemental charging to top up a pure electric, but may not be practical for regularly charging a pure electric. For the fastest and most convenient charging at home, we recommend installing a wallbox.
A stationary wallbox is the fastest way to charge your pure electric or plug-in hybrid at home, typically offering 50–60 km of range per hour for the XC40 Recharge pure electric and taking 3–4 hours to fully charge a plug-in hybrid. This type of charging is also most common at many public charging stations.
DC fast charging is only available at public charging stations and is mainly used for pure electric cars, mostly on long journeys when time is at a premium. This charging type works at much higher voltage and current than typical AC charging and offers much shorter charging times, though the charging cost is significantly higher. In 10 minutes, you can typically gain up to 100 km of range at a 150 kW station or around 30 km of range at a 50 kW station.
Cost of ownership of an electrified car can be significantly lower than that of an equivalent fuel car.
In many places, the cost of purchasing an electric vehicle is offset by tax incentives. Such benefits vary in different countries.
With fewer moving mechanical parts and fluids, service and maintenance often costs less for an electric car.
For many people, charging is done mainly at home or at work. If you can do most of your charging at these places, the electricity to charge your car can cost significantly less than the fuel to drive the equivalent mileage.