Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric order bank nears 1500, facelift due in July

Buyers are snapping up Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric small SUVs in increasing numbers in Australia, as the order bank pushes into four-digit territory.

Demand for the XC40 Recharge Pure Electric has exceeded supply since its Australian launch in August 2021, with the 2021 calendar year’s allocation sold out in September, and the full Model Year (MY) 2022 run allocated to buyers by late November.

Four months on, Volvo Australia has confirmed to Drive it is now holding more than a thousand orders for its new electric XC40 – and while the exact number is yet to be confirmed, it’s understood close to 1500 orders have been taken (as of publishing).

“We (Australia) are being confirmed for every order we take,” a Volvo Australia spokesperson told Drive. “And our production request for even more cars is currently being accepted.”

A selection of the 1000 to 1500 cars on order will be MY22 vehicles, due between now and May or June – and all priced from $76,990 plus on-road costs.

However, most of the vehicles will be MY23 builds, set to arrive on local shores from the end of June or early July, with a facelifted appearance and the choice of two variants – up from one, the addition of a more affordable single-motor variant.

It’s believed buyers placing a new XC40 Recharge Pure Electric order today will be met with a six-month wait time – placing delivery around September, for a MY23 vehicle.

Should all 1500 vehicles be delivered before the end of 2022, the Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric could become Australia’s best-selling electric vehicle without a Tesla badge – despite costing twice as much as the current title holder.

In 2021, that vehicle was the MG ZS EV, which recorded 1388 sales – though with the last pre-facelift 2021 model selling out in February, and the facelifted 2022 model not due until July, it may not improve on last year’s sales performance.

However, Chinese brands BYD and Ora (a subsidiary of Great Wall Motors) have confirmed to launch two affordable electric cars in Australia from the middle of this year, which could challenge MG and Volvo for the title.

Volvo Australia recorded 207 XC40 Recharge Pure Electrics as sold from August to December 2021, believed to place it in the top five best-selling electric cars in the country over that period (but the 10th when counting the entire year).

As reported, the Volvo XC40 range will undergo a facelift for 2023, with new styling, revised interior materials, and new colour and wheel choices – plus the introduction of an entry-level, single-motor version of the Pure Electric, priced from $72,990 plus on-road costs.

The dual-motor, long-range flagship remains for the new model year, though new Pixel LED headlights and sustainable upholstery (among other factors) will push the price up to $79,990 plus on-road costs, an increase of $3000.

Click here for full details on the updated Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric range, ahead of first deliveries at the end of June, or early July.