Volvo XC60 makes EV switch - Select Car Leasing
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Volvo XC60 makes EV switch

In a nutshell:

  • Volvo XC60 goes electric-only for 2021.
  • ICE diesel and petrol engines ditched for either mild-hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrains.
  • Volvo says there’s still an XC60 for ‘every premium mid-size SUV buyer’.
  • Powertrains range from 197 to 405hp.
  • CO2 emissions from just 55g/km.
  • Combined fuel economy of up to 113mpg.

One of the UK’s most popular SUVs, the brilliant Volvo XC60, is going electric for 2021.

Because like a host of other manufacturers, Volvo has decided to ditch the regular internal combustion engines (ICE) for their flagship mid-sized family car.


The XC60 has been ferrying families across Britain since 2008 and until recently had been available with a range of standard petrol or diesel engines.

You could have had 2.4 litre diesel, for example, if you planned on doing a lot of towing, or a turbo-charged 2.0 petrol with significant power of 245hp.

But those mills are now going the way of the dodo - consigned to history - as Volvo instead relies solely on engines with either mild-hybrid or plug-in hybrid power.

The good news is that the electrified engines all boast impressive fuel economy and performance.

And the even better news is that there’s still a good range of power outputs available, from the modest 197hp to the lairy 405hp.

So let’s start with the mild-hybrids - which don’t need to be plugged in but which also don’t allow for any electric-only driving.

All the mild-hybrids feature a 2.0-litre engine with a 48-volt battery - as well as a ‘kinetic energy recovery system’ - that combine to keep your fuel bills down.

Volvo also says the integrated starter generator provides ‘faster, quieter restarting of the engine.’

There’s a 197hp diesel and 250hp petrol in front-wheel drive form, while the all-wheel-drive mild-hybrids are offered with either a 235hp diesel or a gutsy 300hp petrol.

That latter mill will get you from 0-60mph in just 5.9 seconds while still somehow returning 34 miles to the gallon and 190 g/km of CO2 emissions.

The ‘Recharge’ plug-in hybrids are equally tempting.

There’s a choice of three, all featuring a supercharged 2.0 litre petrol engine that drives the front wheels and an electric motor that powers the rears.

Even the entry level model boasts 340hp and can shift from 0-60mph in 5.6 seconds. And as well as pace you’ve also got the frugality - with 113 miles to the gallon, an electric-only range of 32 miles, and just 56g/km of CO2 emissions.

It also sits in the 14% BIK band for company car tax, making it a cost-effective choice for company car drivers.

If that’s still not enough power to push the back of your head into the seat, you’ll need the range-topping 405hp ‘Recharge Plug-in Hybrid T8 Polestar Engineered’ - co-designed with Volvo’s all-electric sister company Polestar.  

Not only do you get better suspension and brakes, the 0-60mph time shrinks to just 5.1 seconds while economy remains high at 85 mpg.

Every plug-in hybrid XC60 has a 11.6kWh high-voltage battery that can be completely recharged in as little as two and a half hours.

And prices for the XC60 start at £40,135.

Steve Beattie, Volvo Car UK Head of Sales, said: “The XC60 has always had the perfect blend of luxury, technology and safety, and now, thanks to the latest advanced hybrid powertrains, it has broader appeal for both private buyers and company car drivers. A larger range of economical and powerful engines means there is an XC60 for every premium mid-size SUV buyer.”

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Mr. Joe Richards

Wednesday, 04/12/2024