One of the market’s best electric luxury SUV options is the 2022 Audi e-tron, but Audi has plenty of competitors in the segment. Another option many EV shoppers consider is the 2022 Volvo C40 Recharge. So, how does the Volvo stack up against the Audi? Fortunately for Audi, the 2022 Audi e-tron is the better EV, and here are four reasons folks should buy the e-tron over the 2022 Volvo C40 Recharge.

1. The 2022 Audi e-tron has more torque than the Volvo does

Performance is something drivers expect from an Audi, and the e-tron has the specs to match expectations. According to Edmunds, the German luxury EV has a dual motor powertrain with 402 hp and 490 lb-ft of torque. The C40 Recharge also has a dual motor powertrain, and the Volvo gets 402 hp and 486 lb-ft of torque. 

That means the e-tron is tied with the C40 Recharge in horsepower, but the e-tron has 4 lb-ft of torque more than the C40 Recharge. This doesn’t translate into better acceleration as the Volvo has a better acceleration time than the Audi. The e-tron goes from 0 to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds, while the C40 Recharge only needs 4.7 seconds.

2. The 2022 Audi e-tron also has more towing capacity

The e-tron’s extra torque and general design allow it to tow much more stuff than the C40 Recharge. The e-tron can tow up to 4,000 pounds when equipped with Audi’s Towing Package, while the C40 Recharge can only tow up to 2,000 pounds. This means that the e-tron has twice the towing capacity that the C40 Recharge has. 

While not every electric SUV owner will need to tow stuff, the e-tron’s significantly better max towing capacity opens up many possibilities that the C40 Recharge doesn’t have access to. For example, while there are lightweight fishing boats, a 4,000-pound towing capacity will allow the e-tron to tow the average fishing boat. C40 Recharge owners, meanwhile, will have to get a smaller boat. 

3. Families can carry far more cargo in their 2022 Audi e-tron than they can in a C40 Recharge

On top of being able to tow much heavier stuff, shoppers who choose the Audi will be able to load more stuff into the car than they could with the Volvo. This is primarily thanks to the size difference between the two electric SUVs. The e-tron is a mid-size crossover, while the C40 Recharge is a subcompact crossover.

As a result, the Volvo SUV has 14.5 cu-ft of cargo capacity without folding its seats down. The Audi SUV gets 28.5 cu-ft, which means it has almost double the cargo capacity. With the seats folded down, the e-tron gets 56.4 cu-ft of max cargo capacity. In comparison, the C40 Recharge gets 48.7 cu-ft of max cargo capacity. That’s a difference of 7.7 cu-ft. 

4. The 2022 Audi e-tron has a bigger battery capacity

Another thing the e-tron has more of is battery capacity. Edmunds said that Audi gave the e-tron a 95-kWh battery pack. This is much larger than the 78-kWh battery pack Volvo gave the C40 Recharge. That being said, the 17-kWh size difference doesn’t translate into a range advantage. Both electric SUVs have similar range numbers.