Some of you may remember the Volvo XC70 nameplate, which was last used in 2016 for what is essentially a jacked up V70 wagon. After nearly a decade, the XC70 name will be returning to the Volvo line-up soon, this time as a new mid-size SUV equipped with an “extended range plug-in hybrid (PHEV)” powertrain.
The all-new Volvo XC70 will be built on the marque’s latest SMA platform, billed as a “premium extended-range PHEV” architecture, designed to meet the demands for longer range PHEVs in China, where it will be available for order later this year. Potential additional markets will be explored at a later stage, the Swedish carmaker said in a press release.
Just how “extended” is the range, then? According to preliminary info, the Volvo XC70 will boast an electric-only range of up to 200 km (on the more optimistic CLTC test cycle), making it the brand’s longest-range PHEV model to date.
“The XC70 marks our strategic entry into the extended-range plug-in hybrid segment, a perfect bridge to full electrification,” says Volvo Cars’ recently reappointed president and chief executive, Håkan Samuelsson.
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“It enables us to maintain and develop a balanced product portfolio, while offering a highly attractive alternative to customers who are not yet ready for fully electric cars. This is also an example of regionalisation, where we adapt to the local market needs,” he added.
With its extended pure electric range and “fast charging capabilities”, Volvo says the XC70 can handle most daily trips without tailpipe emissions and at a lower cost. The combustion engine provides a ‘safeguard’ of sorts, giving more flexibility and freedom to the driver on longer distance drives.
No specific details have been provided on the powertrain thus far, although it’s likely that the so-called “extended-range PHEV” is just another name for what’s now commonly known as the range-extender electric vehicles (REEV), where the small engine functions as a generator to provide electric power to the motors and batteries.
Based on the handful of teaser images released by Volvo, it appears the XC70 will be slightly more elongated compared to the XC60, with a wagon-like profile paired to a sweeping roofline and raked rear windscreen.
The design language here is very much in line with Volvo’s latest offerings, including the EX90 and EX30, with highlights including the modernised Thor’s Hammers daytime-running lights paired with separated matrix LED headlights beneath, a closed-off front grille with the marque’s new iron mark logo, as well as the split taillights at the rear with a segmented vertical section book-ending the rear windscreen.
To maximise range, the front lower grille that feeds air to the internal combustion engine will come with an active grille shutter, only opening when cooling is needed.
Volvo says the XC70 will be “slightly larger and more spacious” than the XC60, offering enhanced comfort for all passenger, for every type of journey. More info will be announced in the coming months, ahead of its full debut later this year.
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