BMW 530e Touring G60 vs Volvo XC40 B4: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the 530e Touring hits 100 km/h in 6.52 s versus 8.23 s for the XC40 B4. The instant torque of 450 Nm from the electric motor makes the difference. At this point, the 530e Touring leads by 1.71 s and sits roughly 12 m ahead.

At 200 metres, the 530e Touring is doing 128 km/h against 115 km/h for the XC40 B4. The gap is 0.82 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the 530e Touring crosses the line in 14.69 s versus 16.10 s. The 1.42 s gap represents roughly 55 m of track - a gap visible to the naked eye.

Past 400 metres, the 530e Touring continues to build its lead. At 600 metres, it runs at 180 km/h versus 158 km/h. At 1,000 metres, the 530e Touring finishes in 26.34 s versus 29.39 s, with a 3.05 s lead.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the 530e Touring is capped at 220 km/h, the XC40 B4 at 180 km/h. This isn’t a physical engine limit - it’s a manufacturer choice, usually for tyre safety or homologation reasons. Neither car reaches its true aerodynamic top speed.

Instant electric torque gives an advantage off the line. The higher top speed of the combustion engine gives an advantage over longer distances. The distance at which one catches the other depends on the top speed differential.

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 13.40 seconds. The 1.71 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.