Volvo Cars today announced that that plug-in hybrid options will now be available on every new model it produces. On the other hand, a range of mild hybrid powertrain will find its way to the XC90 and XC60 in the coming months.
The existing T6 and T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid powertrains are now upgraded with a new battery and brake-by-wire energy recovery system promising increased horsepower and 15% increased electric driving range. On the T8 Twin Engine, power is now up to 420 hp from 407 hp previously while pure EV range has increased from 43 km to 48.3 km.
The upgraded T8 Twin Engine powertrain will find its way to the recently unveiled facelifted Volvo XC90 SUV and will be made available on all 90- and 60-series models. The new T6 Twin Engine, on the other hand, is offered on the V60 and S60.
Volvo’s new mild-hybrid powertrains will wear a new “B” badged moniker and are offered as B5 petrol, B5 diesel and B6 petrol. All “B” badged powertrains feature a conventional combustion engine supplemented by an advanced Kinetic Energy Recovery Braking System (KERS) for up to 15% fuel savings and emissions in real-world driving.
The new “B” powertrains offer customers an alternative electrified powertrain to the full plug-in hybrid system and Volvo expects its mild-hybrid system to become a new standard, moving it closer to the company’s vision of having all of its cars to be electrified by 2025.
