Volvo XC70: SUV with plug-in hybrid and 200 km electric range for China

It is an astonishing success: last year, Volvo sold 13,052 plug-in hybrids of the XC60 alone in Germany – more PHEVs than any other brand. For orientation: That was more PHEVs than VW was able to sell in total. Volvo also appears to be counting on continued interest in this drive system in China, as the brand is initially only presenting a model for this market in the form of the new XC70 SUV, which does not banish combustion engines.

200 km electric range in the CLTC

The XC70 is based on the SMA platform (Scalable Modular Architecture) for plug-in hybrids. With its design, the SUV is aimed at the needs of prospective Chinese customers. They obviously attach great importance to a long electric range. In the Chinese CLTC consumption cycle, up to 200 km are estimated – not promised. This value cannot be compared with the WLTP used in Europe, as the speeds driven in the CLTC are significantly lower. But even with an e-range of 150 km in the WLTP, Volvo would be far ahead.

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Volvo XC70 2025 (3 Bilder)

No serial hybrid

Volvo provides no information on the energy content of the traction battery or external dimensions, nor on consumption figures or drive power. All it says about charging is that the XC70 has the ability to do this quickly – which opens up a wide field of interpretation. It has already been revealed that Volvo is not going down the path of some Japanese models when it comes to the drive system. The hybrid will not be designed in series, so the combustion engine will also be used to drive the wheels directly and not just as a generator drive.

There are also plans to export the SUV to Europe. In the short term, this is unlikely to happen on the European market. The successful XC60 has just been slightly revised and the larger XC90, also modified, is being extended. Volvo should be able to reach a relevant number of new customers with another model, but the target group of the XC70 is probably too similar to that of the XC60 and XC90.

(mfz)