Is the New Volvo XC70 the Future of Plug-In Hybrids?
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E-mobility fans take note: Volvo has a new plug-in hybrid in the pipeline. The Volvo XC70 (2025) is set to be a stylish SUV that looks great and, above all, offers an above-average electric range. However, the targeted 200 kilometers that Volvo is now promising are unlikely to be achieved, at least in Europe.
Volvo Counters Its Sister Brand
Rumor had it that plug-in hybrids were slowly becoming obsolete. But things turned out quite differently. Cars equipped with a combustion engine and electric drive are celebrating an unexpected comeback these days. More and more people find the combination of combustion engine and clean electric drive extremely attractive.
The car industry is following suit. Manufacturers are now packing ever-larger batteries into their PHEVs. The Lynk & Co 08 recently surprised us with its 200-kilometer electric range. Now, Volvo is making a similar announcement. But that's not particularly surprising because Volvo, like Lynk & Co, belongs to the Chinese car giant Geely.
If you like, the Volvo XC70 is a beefy new edition of the Volvo V70 XC, which really impressed many drivers as an estate from 2000 to 2016. However, the new version is no longer a classic estate, but an SUV. Will the XC70 (2025) one day return to the roads in the US? That's still up in the air. Volvo is keeping the option open but only wants to launch it in the Chinese market for the time being. The car is based on the SMA platform for plug-in hybrids and, according to Volvo, is an important addition to its own product range.
Up to 200 kilometers electric range - or not?
With a purely electric range of up to 200 kilometers, the new car not only allows you to cruise around town and in the surrounding area purely electrically, but also to cover shorter distances on the highway. When the battery is empty, the combustion engine starts up, and the journey continues without any problems.
At the front, the car has a closed radiator grille reminiscent of Volvo's all-electric models. An active air flap automatically adapts to the cooling requirements and the desired climate in the interior, making the SUV more aerodynamic if necessary. At the rear, the XC70 has the typical vertical C-shaped tail lights, which merge seamlessly into the rear window, in true Volvo style.
And now comes the big but: we'll have to wait and see how far the Volvo XC70, touted in China as a "super-hybrid SUV", can really go purely electrically. This is because Volvo's estimated range is based on tests according to the Chinese CLTC standard. According to our WLTP standard, the range is likely to be around 20 percent less, i.e., around 160 kilometers.
