Yahoo Autos Volvo XC40 and C40 Recharges renamed EX40 and EC40, no 'Recharge' needed
Every automaker headed toward complete electrification is entering the naming nomenclature funnel, working on a concise ways for car shoppers to understand what's electric, what's not, and what's in between. Volvo's the latest making another big step on the path, its UK operation announcing new names for the XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge. Those two will now be called the EX40 and EC40, respectively, falling in line with the EX90 SUV, EX30 crossover, and China-market EM90 minivan.
On top of that, the Recharge name is no more; the "EX," "EC," and a number do the work for designating pure-electrics, and the long-lived T6 and T8 badges will convey output ranking for plug-in hybrid models such as the XC60 and XC90. Speaking of which, the "XC" isn't going anywhere — that's how buyers know a model is powered, at least partially, by fire. Though this was announced in the UK, we expect the U.S. market will get the same memo in a few months.
Refinement of the electric equation will show its worth when the EX30 and EX90 make it to market. For now, though, Volvo's still trying to get both products out of software hell. Stop us if you've heard this one before, but last May, Volvo delayed the EX90 to the first half of this year for what Reuters called "more software development and testing." Last month, the automaker did the same with the EX30, informing dealers in Europe that had cars on lots ready to be delivered, "Important progress has been made but the software version 1.2 does not yet meet all the requirements necessary to be released."
