Volvo XC40 Charging Guide: Charge times, speed and cost

Volvo XC40 Charging Station, Port and Plug Type

The Volvo XC40 Recharge charging port range uses the CCS standard, which features a combined AC and DC inlet port. The top portion of the inlet is for the Type 2 connector, which is used for AC charging at home,work or at public chargers (e.g. shopping centre car parks).

For public fast/rapid DC charging, both the upper and lower sections on the inlet are used to support the high power output required. The XC40 Recharge CCS charging inlet is found on the left rear side of the vehicle.

The XC40 Recharge can be slow, fast and rapid charged from public charging stations. In most cases, slow charging requires a three-pin-to-Type 2 cable, and fast charging a Type 2 to Type 2 cable, one of which is usually supplied with the vehicle. For rapid charging, the vehicle uses a tethered CCS connector which is part of the charging unit.

Click to expand

1. Find a public charging station for fast and rapid chargers

Plugshare is the easiest way to find any public AC and DC electric vehicle charging station in your area. It displays a map and overall rating of each charger from check-ins and comments.

Additionally, use the in-built Google maps in the XC40 Recharge or charging providers app like Chargefox or Evie Networks to view the live availability of stations and check whether a stall may be out-of-action.

2. Connect charging cable to car

Driving up to the charger, ensure that your vehicle’s charging port, located on the left rear side, is nearest the stall. This may require you to drive in or reverse into the charging spot.

Once parked, grab the appropriate charging connector type from the stall’s holster, open the XC40 Recharge’s charging flap and any other caps, and firmly plug it into the vehicle.

3. Confirm charging has started

Use the charging provider’s mobile app or tap the RFID card on the stall to activate the charging session. You may need to press a start button on some charging stalls, too.

After a few seconds of communicating with the XC40 Recharge, you can see the charging status via the station’s screen, the vehicle’s driver instrument display, or the mobile app.

Slow AC Charging (level 1,2) - Home/Business

The following table show the estimated time to fully charge (0 to 100%) an XC40 Recharge with its onboard 11 kW charger. Known as level 1 or 2 charging, this would be typically done at home, work or shopping centre car parks. Fully charging a XC40 Recharge using a portable charger and a standard 10A power point would take 31 hours.

Fast/Rapid DC Charging (level 3) - Public

The following tables show the estimated time to charge XC40 Recharge using fast/rapid DC charging. These times are for a partial charge (10-80%). It is recommended to limit the charging at rapid chargers to 80% to preserve battery health.

Note that the times shown are only a guide only. Other factors that might vary the actual charging time of your car. The estimates provided are for the Plus base variant of the XC40 Recharge. For personalised estimates of the other variants use the zecar ev charging calculator.

The below tables show the estimated cost of charging the XC40 Recharge's 67 kWh battery at home using a standard flat tariff or a public fast DC charger.

Based on these figures, the XC40 Recharge’s fuel costs are $4.4-$10.5 per 100 km, depending on the type of charging. In general, home charging provides the per kilometre cost and public rapid charging tends to be around double the cost (per charge and per kilometre). This compares favourably to an equivalent petrol car which would cost $16 per 100km, assuming $2/litre for petrol.

Use the zecar EV charging calculator to find the cost and times to charge any EV using any charge method. The results can be personalised for different electricity costs and the level of charge required.

The XC40 Recharge's battery pack comprises the NMC chemistry. The recommended upper limit for daily use is 90%, this will minimise degradation and preserve the longevity of the battery. The charging limit can be set on the main infotainment screen.

Occasional charging of the battery to 100% to maximise the car's range for longer trips should not cause significant degradation of the battery.

Click to expand

The XC40 Recharge is compatible with almost all portable and wall-mounted chargers. It comes with a portable charging cable, which can be used on any Australian domestic powerpoint

For faster charging speeds, you may want to consider a wall-mounted charger to reach the maximum 11 kW charge rate the XC40 Recharge is capable of.

Home charging while taking longer will likely result in less degradation.

Electric Car Home Charging Guide

Click to expand

The XC40 can be charged using all the major charging networks including some Tesla Superchargers and some select Tesla destination chargers.

Refer to this guide for all the key public charging providers including links to app downloads.

Excessive use of fast charging may accelerate the degradation of the battery due to the heat caused by fast charging.

Click to expand

Yes, Volvo XC40's can charge at some Tesla Supercharger sites. As of the latest update to this article, Tesla has opened up 30 of its 63 Supercharger sites in Australia to non-Tesla EVs.

Non-Tesla vehicles will be charged $0.79 per kWh for drivers of non-Tesla cars However, non-Tesla drivers can sign up to a $9.99/month subscription to reduce the cost to $0.66 per kWh.

➡️TRY: EV Charging Calculator

Tesla supercharger sites can be accessed by non-Tesla EVs via the Tesla apps.

• Download the Tesla app (version 4.18.0 or higher) for iOS or Android and create a Tesla Account.
• Select ‘Charge Your Non-Tesla’ and find your Supercharger site.
• Add your payment method, select a stall, unlock the adapter, plug in your car, and tap ‘Start Charging.’
• Select ‘Stop Charging’ to complete your session.