Volvo sets up for an electrifying future

Volvo has taken a big step towards its full-electric future with the release of new or upgraded electrified powertrain options, which will be made available across its entire global range of sedans and SUVs.

The company has upgraded its existing T8 and T6 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid powertrains, while confirming that plug-in options will now be available on every model it produces. Plug-in technology allows hybrids to travel longer distances on pure electric mode compared to traditional hybrids that use its internal combustion engine for battery charging. 

Meanwhile, a T8 Twin Engine S90 Plug-in Hybrid has just been made available in the Philippines. “This is our first step towards locally implementing Volvo’s global vision to have half of our global sales comprised of fully electric cars. Safer for the environment, better for everyone on the planet,” shares Volvo Philippines Marketing Head Christopher L. Yu.

Volvo will introduce a range of hybrids in the coming months, starting with diesel and petrol versions on the S90 flagship sedan and the XC90 and XC60 SUVs.

These hybrids will, for the first time, offer customers Volvo’s advanced kinetic energy recovery braking system. This system is coupled with its existing internal combustion engines to create a new integrated electrified powertrain, under its new “B” badge.

This new powertrain, electrified via brake-by-wire energy recovery, offers drivers up to 15 percent fuel savings and emission reductions in real world driving.

The new brake-by-wire system interacts with the energy recovery system and reduces fuel consumption and emissions by recovering kinetic energy under braking.

Volvo has upgraded its production capacity so that up to 25 percent of total production can be Twin Engine plug-in hybrid cars. It also expects its new “B”-badged powertrains to gradually become the new standard, moving it closer to its goal that by the middle of the next decade all of its cars will be electrified.

There will be new and upgraded powertrains introduced on Volvo’s larger Scalable Product Architecture-based (SPA) 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 percent 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 percent range increase and is available on the V60 estate and S60 sedan.

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

On the XC60, customers will be able to choose between a B5 hybrid petrol or diesel variant, a B4 diesel hybrid, as well as a B6 petrol 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.