Volvo upgrades hybrid powertrains; plug-in options on every model

Volvo Cars has announced upgraded and newly-developed electrified powertrain options to be made available across its entire range.

The company has upgraded its existing T8 and T6 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid powertrains, while at the same time confirming that plug-in options will now be available on every model it produces.

Volvo Cars will introduce a range of mild hybrids in the coming months, starting with diesel and petrol versions on the XC90 and XC60 SUV models.

These mild hybrids will offer customers Volvo’s kinetic energy recovery braking system, which is coupled with its existing internal combustion engines to create a new integrated electrified powertrain, under its new ‘B’ badge. This is electrified via brake-by-wire energy recovery, which Volvo claims offers drivers up to 15 per cent fuel savings and emission reductions in real world driving.

Production capacity has been upgraded to allow up to 25 per cent of total production to be Twin Engine plug-in hybrid cars.

There will be new and upgraded powertrains introduced on Volvo’s larger Scalable Product Architecture (SPA)-based cars.

The upgraded T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid with up to 420 horsepower features a new battery and brake-by-wire advanced battery charging. The range of the T8 powertrain has increased by around 15 per cent and this powertrain is available on all 90 and 60 Series cars.

An upgraded version of the smaller capacity T6 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid is also combined with the new battery and brake-by wire-technology. This powertrain also offers an approximate 15 per cent range increase and is available on the V60 estate and S60 sedan.

The XC90 will be available with a B5-badged mild hybrid petrol or diesel variant, as well as a B6-badged petrol mild hybrid.

On the XC60, customers will be able to choose between a B5 mild hybrid petrol or diesel variant, a B4 diesel mild hybrid as well as a B6 petrol mild hybrid. The B5 petrol will be available with front wheel drive or all-wheel drive.

The company’s smaller Compact Modular Architecture-based XC40 SUV will also receive a new electrified option, in the form of a T5 Twin Engine petrol-plug-in hybrid. A second, T4 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid option will follow later.