2028 Volvo XC90 T8 PHEV More Than Doubles Its Electric Range And Accelerates Slightly Quicker

Volvo's designers and engineers in Gothenburg, Sweden, have been busy. Not only have they rolled out facelifts for the XC40 and XC60, they're also giving us an updated XC90 T8 plug-in hybrid with a much bigger battery and much bigger range. The XC90 was facelifted two years ago, so the B5 and B6 mild-hybrid models remain largely unchanged for the 2028 model year. The T8 PHEV's glow-up is all under the skin, but that's what really matters anyway, right?

Much like the updated XC60 T8 that has been revealed in tandem, the 2028 XC90 T8's battery has more than doubled in size, with its range doing the same. And it's actually a tiny bit quicker than the car it replaces as well, thanks to some power deployment retuning. Sure, the 2028 XC90 T8 may not look different from the outside, but now it's the plug-in hybrid with the second longest range on sale in the U.S., bested only by its XC60 T8 little sibling.

Volvo says the 2028 XC90 T8 will run for a gargantuan 73 miles on a single charge, 40 miles more than before, thanks to a 41.2 kWh nominal (37.9 kWh usable) lithium-ion battery pack; the old T8 made use of an 18.8-kWh (14.7 kWh usable) pack. With the turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 and rear-axle-mounted electric motor combined, the system pumps out 455 horsepower and 523 pound-feet of torque. Those numbers haven't changed for 2028, but the 0-to-60-mph time has. It's down a tick from 5 seconds to 4.9 seconds. That's pretty brisk for a decidedly un-sporty 5,271-pound family hauler. Fully juiced up, Volvo says the XC90 T8 will travel 560 miles, and when it comes time to recharge the battery, it'll take about 5.7 hours on a Level 2 charger.

Volvo

While there may not be too much else new in store for the 2028 XC90, it's hard to argue that getting more than 70 miles of electric range out of a plug-in hybrid isn't a solid accomplishment unto itself. As more folks shy away from EVs and look to PHEVs as a middle ground between pure gas and electric, I wouldn't be surprised if longer-range EVs really start to catch on. As Volvo looks for ways to regroup and reposition itself, a leader in the long-range EV space definitely isn't a bad place to be.