2028 Volvo XC60 and XC90 PHEVs Plug Gap Between Hybrid and EVAutoweekMark VaughnWed, September 16, 2026 at 2:21 PM UTCAdd us on GoogleVolvo XC60, XC90 PHEVs Fill Gap from Hybrid to EVVolvoIf the mild hybrid was the solution to range anxiety caused by pure battery electric vehicles, then the plug-in hybrid offers that same answer but with even more range. Volvo has gone all of those one better by making a long-range plug-in hybrid with more range than anything in the class. Behold, the new long-range plug-in hybrid XC60 and XC90 SUVs.The new XC60 offers what Volvo calls class-leading electric range of up to 78 miles on a single charge, while the larger and somewhat heavier XC90 offers up to 73 miles.2028 Volvo XC90, above, and XC60, top. Both are 2028 models.Volvo"Together, they offer the longest electric range of any plug-in hybrids available in the American market," Volvo says.AdvertisementAdvertisementFor comparison's sake, some previous long-rangish PHEVs are:Mercedes-Benz GLC 350e: Offers an EPA-estimated 54 miles of pure electric range, making it a leader for US-available plug-in hybrids.Toyota RAV4 Prime / Plug-In Hybrid: Delivers 42 to 52 miles of all-electric range depending on the specific model year.Range Rover Sport PHEV: Reaches about 53 miles of battery-powered driving.Volvo still sees the future of the automobile as all-electric, but the market doesn't see it that way. At least not yet. Recent sales figures put acceptance of battery electric vehicles, those that run on electricity alone and not anything else, at well under 10 percent, closer to five percent in recent figures.So Volvo has come up with this new solution, which it is not calling a stop gap fix on the way to EVs: offer more electric range than anyone else in what it's calling a pair of long-range plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. It's offering the powertrain in its two best sellers, the XC60 and XC90 crossovers.2028 XC60 gets a new front look.Volvo"The XC60 is our best-selling model of all time, while the XC90 marked the beginning of our premium journey," said Håkan Samuelsson, president and ceo at Volvo Cars. "Now, as long-range plug-in hybrids, they build on those legacies and, together with the all-electric EX60, give us our strongest-ever electrified offering in the mid-size SUV segment. This means a path to full electrification for every customer."AdvertisementAdvertisementThe range is due to a new, larger-capacity, floor-integrated battery and a more powerful electric motor, Volvo says, while the gasoline engine can take over when needed. (Both cars also remain available as mild hybrids.) The bigger battery is strong but does not form part of the structure of the car, Volvo said when I saw the cars revealed in London recently. The new pack adds around 200 pounds.Both powertrains start with a turbocharged 2.0-liter gasoline-direct-injected four, but they are now paired with a more powerful electric motor, likely to haul the added battery weight. The electric motor drives the rear wheels and the gas motor drives the fronts. Together, the output remains 455 horsepower, but when you add the larger 38 kWh battery pack (as opposed to the earlier 15 kWh pack), that's what gives the new XC60 and XC90 PHEVs their estimated all-electric driving range of 78 miles in the XC60 and 74 in the XC90 (pending official EPA approval of those figures). Previous range in the XC60 was 35 miles.XC60 interiorVolvoThose new range figures are about 20 miles more than any other plug-in hybrid sold here. Volvo studied its US buyers and found that 60 percent of them plug in their plug-in hybrids every night, the goal being to drive on electricity alone. The current new ranges offered are "more than enough" to cover average buyers' daily driving needs of 22 miles. So the existing plug-in hybrid Volvos are essentially being used as electric cars already.Both models ride on Volvo's scalable product architecture, or SPA, so sharing the chassis is a cost-cutter.AdvertisementAdvertisementBut apart from the new drivetrain offerings, both models are getting a little long in the teeth, with the XC60 approaching 10 years of age and the XC90 coming up on 11. They'll be in middle school soon. Where did the years go? That means they're way overdue for facelifts.Like the XC40 just a few weeks ago, the XC60 gets a new grille and redesigned front bumper, hood, front fenders, as well as new wheels to "provide a new elegant interpretation of Volvo Cars' Scandinavian design language," the carmaker says. The XC90 carries on with recent design updates but nothing new this year outside of the PHEV.Both models will be available in early 2027, while some might show up at dealers in late-December. No pricing was released.