Volvo XC90's T8 Twin Engine is one of the best powertrains currently on the market. It can deliver spectacular power and has very low needs for fuel. This of course, corresponds to the lowest emissions for a seven seater. They have dropped by 10 g/km and now measure only 49 g/km. The fuel economy is rated at 134.5mpg, while the power from the engine has also grown. The SUV can generate a combined power of 407 hp (300 kW) and 640 Nm (472 lb-ft) of torque.
Drivetrain
As a matter of fact, the drivetrain allows to be driven on a pure electric range up to 26 miles. Meanwhile it achieves 0-62mph acceleration sprint in 5.6 seconds. To be more precise, the gasoline engine produces 320hp, while the electric unit delivers the other 87 hp. 400 Nm and 240 Nm is the combination for the torque.
Driving Modes
The seven seater can offer five driving modes, which can be selected via either a scroll wheel on the centre console or a touchscreen on the dashboard. The first one is the “Hybrid” mode, which is set as a default. This means that, the vehicle will alternate between drawing power from the Drive-E engine and the electric unit automatically.
The second mode is called “Pure electric” and as the name suggests it uses the battery of the car for the only energy source. The electric motor drives the rear axle, thus offering a total range of up to 26 miles solely on electricity. This mode is also the most efficient of all.
Via “Power mode” the driver will get both power-sources working and will offer a better torque at lower revs, while the “AWD” mode will drive the all-fours on demand. At last, the “Save” mode comes in help if the battery is charged and the driver literally wants to keep this energy level for a later electric ride.
The good new is that the XC90 T8 Twin Engine is scheduled to appear in the showrooms later this spring.
2015 Volvo XC90 T8 Petrol Plug-in Hybrid
PRESS RELEASE
The XC90 T8 Twin Engine has exceeded all expectations when it comes to the no compromise equation of power and low fuel consumption, coupled with world class low emissions – and all in a 7-seat luxury SUV.
The improvement over the earlier announced figures were achieved thanks to the continuous innovation cycle at the Swedish company. The result of further tuning is a drop of 10 g/km from the initial prognosis, for up to 134.5mpg fuel economy, while also adding horsepower. This makes the XC90 T8 Twin Engine the clear leader in its segment, with an exceptional combination of low fuel consumption, emissions and pure power.
“We have been working hard to earn our competitive edge and to give our customers the ultimate combination of performance and low fuel consumption. Our Twin Engine technology has enabled us to build on our heritage of efficient powertrain development in a completely new way. Thanks to our new scalable product architecture, and our world class four-cylinder engines, we have a clear and leading position,” said Dr Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President Research & Development at Volvo Car Group.
No other SUV in this class can deliver 26 miles of pure electric range, 0-62mph in 5.6 seconds and provide combined power of 407 hp – all in a 7 seat configuration.
The XC90 T8 Twin Engine will be available later this spring in Volvo showrooms.
Note to editors:
All figures are based on the NEDC driving cycle for hybrids.
* 320hp + 87 hp power and 400 + 240 Nm torque – combined 407hp and 640 Nm.
A driving mode for every need
The XC90 T8 Twin Engine can go from 0 to 62mph in 5.6 seconds, delivering all the driving pleasure customers have come to expect from a Volvo SUV. But driving pleasure is only a fraction of what the XC90 T8 offers: the car has five different driving modes that deliver a range of performance and efficiency-enhancing characteristics. Using either a scroll wheel on the centre console or a touchscreen on the dashboard, drivers can choose from:
Hybrid: This is the default mode, suitable for everyday use. Here, the vehicle will automatically alternate between drawing power from the 2-litre, 4-cylinder Drive-E engine and the electric motor to deliver the best overall fuel consumption.
Pure electric: In this mode, when the high-voltage battery is fully charged, it serves as the car's sole energy source, powering the electric motor over the rear axle. The XC90 T8 has a range of up to 26 miles using just electricity, which covers the total distance many people drive in one day. And thanks to the regenerative braking system, this mode is super-efficient in the stop-and-go traffic of city environments. If more power is needed, the Drive-E combustion engine starts up automatically.
Power mode: Here, drivers get the combined performance of the combustion engine and the electric motor. On start-up, the SUV takes advantage of the electric motor's superior response and instant torque curve, while the combustion engine gets up to speed. This combination offers better torque at lower revs, equivalent to that of a large displacement engine like the V8.
AWD: This mode offers constant all-wheel drive on demand. The advantage of being able to select AWD manually is that the driver can use it when needed, or choose to save energy for later.
Save: If the battery is charged, this mode allows the driver to “freeze” the battery level and save it for later use with Pure Electric drive. On the other hand, if the battery is low, the driver can use the combustion engine to charge the battery to a certain level for later use with Pure Electric drive.
Source: Volvo
Keyword: Volvo Seems to Have Created the Best Hybrid Engine