Volvo cancels EX40 in the US, updates XC40 with better sensors and Gemini AI — SkimNews
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- Volvo is canceling the EX40 in the US, with the company noting the compact electric SUV 'struggled to find customers'; it will be replaced by the larger EX50 on the lower-cost SPA3 platform, arriving mid-2027 in the high-$40,000 range per Automotive News.
- XC40 is getting a facelift including updated 'Thor's Hammer' LED headlights, new front grille, bumper, hood, and rear lighting, plus diamond-cut wheels in 18-, 19-, and 20-inch sizes.
- XC40 will integrate Google's Gemini as its voice assistant for route planning, finding locations and detours, and managing messages, paired with a higher-resolution 11.2-inch infotainment screen running Volvo's latest UI.
- XC40 is receiving a new sensor suite with front and corner radars, a new front camera, rear corner radars, 12 ultrasonic sensors, and parking cameras, enabling door-opening alerts for cyclists, lane change assist, and optional 3D/360-degree camera.
- Volvo previously abandoned its pledge to sell only EVs by 2030, positioning the XC40 hybrid — which the article clarifies is a mild hybrid, not a plug-in — as a bridge for customers not ready for full EVs.
- Akhil Krishnan, Interim Lead for the 30 and 40 Series at Volvo Cars, called the update 'the best version of the XC40 yet' and said the model is 'set to continue being one of our best-selling cars for years to come.'
Why it matters: Volvo is culling an EV that couldn't find buyers while betting its small-SUV volume on a hybrid — the only kind it still sells after retreating from its 2030 all-EV promise. The EX50 successor won't reach US showrooms until mid-2027, leaving a roughly two-year gap with no small electric Volvo on sale here.
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