2028 Volvo XC60 Fixes The Biggest Problem With Plug-In HybridsSlashGearChris DaviesTue, September 15, 2026 at 7:00 AM UTCAdd us on GoogleChris Davies/SlashGearIt's always risky, messing with a working formula, but it's tough to see how Volvo more than doubling the electric range of its best-selling plug-in hybrid SUV could doom the 2028 XC60 T8. Freshly renamed (and rebadged), the 2028 Volvo XC60 T8 AWD Long Range Plug-In Hybrid, when it arrives in the U.S. in early 2027 it should have the longest electric range — at up to 78 miles — of any PHEV on the market.That's more than double the current-generation XC60 T8 — which manages up to 35 miles — courtesy of a larger battery and an improved electric motor. Despite having 41.2 kWh to play with, compared to 18.8 kWh in the old PHEV, and being about 200 pounds heavier, there's still the same 4.5 second 0-60 mph time and a total of 455 horsepower. Volvo says cargo capacity isn't impacted, either, with the larger-capacity battery sandwiched into the SUV's floor.Chris Davies/SlashGearAlongside the 2028 XC60 T8 Long Range PHEV, there'll also be a B5 AWD trim. That has a mild-hybrid drivetrain as in the current model, will do 0-60 mph in 6.5 seconds, and is set to get a 26 mpg rating on the EPA's combined cycle.AdvertisementAdvertisementRead more: 5 Drawbacks Of Hybrid Cars You Should Consider Before Buying OneSmoother and sleeker outsideChris Davies/SlashGearBoth trims get a new exterior design, which Volvo invited SlashGear to preview at a pre-unveil event in London. At the front, everything from the A-pillar forward is updated: there's a more sculpted hood, cleaner front bumper and front wings — inspired, to my eye, by the successful 2024 refresh of the larger XC90 — and a slimmer and more integrated grille. The familiar Thor's Hammer headlamps have been upgraded with 15-segment Matrix LED clusters, that Volvo says reduces dazzle for oncoming traffic.There are new rear LED clusters, too, along with a new tailgate and bumper design. Again, it's a simplified and smoothed aesthetic, taking what was already a handsome SUV and making it even less fussy. Volvo did the same thing with the upcoming 2028 XC40, and it works just as effectively here.Chris Davies/SlashGearThere are new 20- and 21-inch alloy wheel designs, and a newly-added Heather Bronze metallic paint option. That's about as bright as the XC60's color portfolio gets: it's a nice finish, shifting through golden and almost pink-edged tones depending on the light, but I can't help but wish there were some bright blues and other paints like the Volvo of old. The reality is, the automaker counters, that buyers just prefer the more conservative silvers, grays, and other tones.A more tech-savvy dashboard with Google Gemini onboardChris Davies/SlashGearInside, the dashboard and door trims have been refreshed, including updated ambient lighting, and there's a new Cardamom ventilated Nappa leather interior option; it's a warm brown. The dashboard keeps its 11.2-inch portrait touchscreen and 12.3-inch driver display, but there's the latest iteration of Volvo Car UX as seen on the automaker's EVs.Chris Davies/SlashGearAdvertisementAdvertisementLike with the refreshed XC40, Volvo's infotainment has Google Gemini support for natural-language voice control. There's also been an update to the safety tech, with new automatic emergency steering and braking, along with warnings if passengers are about to open a door into the path of an oncoming car or cyclist.Chris Davies/SlashGearThat taps into a new set of cameras, radar, and ultrasonic sensors, which add things like lane-change assist to Volvo's Pilot Assist hands-on highway driving system. There's also a new 3D view in the 360-degree camera.PHEV is no longer a stopgap technologyChris Davies/SlashGearWhile plug-in hybrids were seen by many as a transitional technology, and Volvo already has an all-electric equivalent to the XC60 in the shape of the EX60, the path to full-EV hasn't been as smooth as predicted. Shifting regulatory landscapes, diminishing incentives, and sluggish proliferation of charging infrastructure have left automakers' ambitious electric roadmaps looking aggressive to the point of impractical. These new XC60 and 2028 XC90 extended-range PHEVs are intended to fill that yawning gap.Chris Davies/SlashGearWith 78 miles to play with, Volvo argues, the typical American XC60 T8 Long Range driver could cover 3+ days of their average use on electric power alone. A Level 2 charge takes around 5.7 hours — only 14% longer than the much smaller battery in the current-gen PHEV — and total range of gas and electric in tandem is 590 miles.Chris Davies/SlashGearAdvertisementAdvertisementPricing will, of course, be pivotal in helping decide the new extended-range PHEV's success. Volvo won't have those numbers until closer to its "early 2027" on-sale date, though for context the current-generation PHEV starts at around $63k with its smaller battery. Then there's the fact that, regardless of battery size, a PHEV driver still needs somewhere to eventually plug in. All the same, as arguments for not giving up gas engines quite yet go, Volvo has made its best-selling model of all time a little more appealing.Want the latest in tech and auto trends? Subscribe to our free newsletter for the latest headlines, expert guides, and how-to tips, one email at a time. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google.Read the original article on SlashGear.
