EC40, EX40, XC40… Has Volvo just reduced or increased its electric car naming confusion?

In an attempt to clear up confusion over where the current Volvo C40 Recharge and Volvo XC40 Recharge sits in its growing EV line-up both will be renamed for 2024.

From now on the Volvo XC40 Recharge will go by the Volvo EX40 name, while the more rakish C40 Recharge will be rebadged as the EC40.

This, says the Chinese-owned Swedish brand, makes it easier to understand where its smallest EVs sit in its all-electric line-up that is currently also inhabited by its latest EX30 SUV, large EX90 SUVs and the China-only EM90 people-mover.

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So far, so sensible. Except, that is, if you’re looking to buy the cheaper combustion-powered XC40 SUV. That remains called the XC40. Volvo says that’s because keeping the old name for the petrol and hybrid makes it easier to distinguish between combustion and all-electric power.

As well as rebranding the small SUVs, from now on the Recharge badge, that signalled to others your Volvo was either an EV or hybrid, has been dropped across the entire line-up.

Instead, what does remain is the familiar T6 and T8 suffix that still denotes your Volvo’s power output.

Speaking of power Volvo says as well as renaming both its most affordable EVs it will introduce the option of a new power boost for both the EX40 and the EC40.

Applicable to the range-topping Twin Motor versions, the new over-the-air Performance software pack boosts power by 25kW raising the total output to a thumping 325kW.

As well as turning up the wick, the latest upgrade is said to increase both acceleration and accelerator responses thanks to a unique new pedal mapping.

There’s no word on whether the power boost affects the driving range of the Twin Motor EC40 (451km) or the EX40 (541km).

To avoid anger for those who have just bought a C40 or XC40 Recharge, Volvo says it will also offer the option to existing owners, but only to those who bought the 2024 Model Year.

To help celebrate the renaming of the small SUVs Volvo said it will roll out a new Black Edition of the EX40, EC40 and included the XC40, so it doesn’t feel like it’s missing out.

All three come painted in Onyx Black paint, get high gloss badging, sport large 20-inch five-spoke gloss black alloy wheels and get the choice of either microtech or a textile charcoal interior.

More details will be released later on when exactly Australia will get its allocation of EX40 and EC40s, as well as the cost of the new Performance Pack.

Volvo is one of many car-makers committed to switching to become an all-electric brand by 2030.

Last year Volvo sold an impressive 113,419 EVs out of a total of 708,716 cars, equating to around 16 per cent of all its total volume although that figure is a long way off the 50 per cent EV mix it says it wants to achieve by 2025.