Volvo has revealed performance and efficiency details for the new plug-in hybrid version of its latest XC90 SUV. The T8 Twin Engine specification has recorded up to 134.5mpg and a CO2 output of just 49g/km on official tests.
The Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine is set to arrive to showrooms in late spring, with prices reportedly set to start from about £60,000.
Combining a 2.0-litre petrol engine, which drives the front wheels, with an electric motor that drives the rear wheels, the XC90 T8 Twin Engine offers four-wheel drive and a combined output of 407bhp. The electric motor alone is able to produce 87bhp.
When using both parts of its plug-in hybrid powertrain, the seven-seater XC90 can cover the 0-62mph sprint in just 5.6 seconds. Volvo says it can also be driven on electric power only for up to 26 miles.
The fuel economy and CO2 emission figures, the latter of which makes this car exempt from paid Vehicle Excise Duty, surpass those achieved by other plug-in hybrid cars based on premium SUVs. The BMX X5 plug-in hybrid, on sale this autumn, manages 85mpg and emits 77g/km according to official figures. Another rival, the Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid, records 83.1mpg and emits 79g/km.
The XC90 T8 plug-in hybrid comes close to matching the levels of efficiency achieved by the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, the best-selling plug-in hybrid/electric car in Britain. The Outlander PHEV officially records 148mpg and emits 44g/km.
