Long-range PHEVs like Volvo XC 70 are trending

Cars such as the new XC70 could be key in countries with less EV infrastructure, according to Volvo boss, Håkan Samuelsson.

The XC70 sits between XC60 and XC90 and uses a new range-extender platform.

The new model was previewed last week as a mid-sized PHEV. It has a claimed electric range of almost 200km, far more than any PHEV the brand sells at present.

XC70 uses a platform supplied by owner Geely, and is initially for China only. However, Volvo said it is considering a global launch for the medium SUV. In regions where charging options aren’t so comprehensive, a long-range hybrid makes sense.

Read our review of the Volvo EX30 Twin-Motor Performance here.

Most XC70 running will be done with electricity. So it is a long-range plug-in hybrid, Samuelsson says. An electric car with a back-up engine when the battery is flat, which will not happen often.

“It’s a pragmatic bridge solution to wait for our customers to really feel comfortable with an all-electric car.”

What is the Volvo XC70?

Technical details remain sparse, but Volvo has promised an electric range of up to 200km, more than double what the XC60 PHEV can achieve.

XC70 is barely larger than the XC60 and resembles a shrunken XC90. However, it uses different architecture. 

The Scalable Modular Architecture (SMA) is said to underpin the vehicle with no details available. 

While fellow Geely brands use combustion engines as a generator to top up a traction battery, Volvo’s XC70 is a more conventional PHEV. It follows the recent unveiling of Volkswagen’s ID Era REx concept at the Shanghai motor show.

That like-sized car was engineered in partnership with SAIC to target the growing demand for REx cars in China. It too may go global, with particular relevance in Europe and North America.

The XC70 will be key to Volvo which is on a global cost-cutting drive in what it sees as a challenging environment. 

That said, Volvo is committed to becoming a fully electric car company, even if just 20 per cent of its sales in the first quarter of 2025 were electric. Premium plug-in hybrids are seen as ideal for customers not yet ready to switch to a fully electric vehicle.

The XC70 name hasn’t been heard of since 2016, when it was applied to an off-road version of the V70 estate.