New Volvo XC70 revealed as 'long-range' plug-in hybrid

The Volvo XC70 has been reborn as a ‘long-range’ plug-in hybrid SUV capable of travelling more than 124 miles on electric power.

The new car will sit beneath the XC90 in Volvo’s line-up and takes clear styling cues from that car and its electric EX90 sibling.

It will initially be launched in China, but the Swedish firm has confirmed that it's planning to bring the car to Europe “at a later stage”.

The XC70 is designed to help Volvo’s transition to electrification by offering a PHEV with an extended electric-only mileage to customers unwilling to make the switch from an ICE model.

Volvo boss Håkan Samuelsson said the new machine would serve as “a cornerstone of our electrified product portfolio”.

Volvo has yet to officially reveal full technical details of the XC70 but has confirmed that it sits on a version of its new Scalable Modular Architecture (SMA) honed for long-range PHEV powertrains.

As well as being capable of 124 miles of electric-only running on China’s generous CLTC test cycle, the firm claims it will be able to travel more than 745 miles on a mix of petrol and electric power.

The XC70 supports fast-charging: the battery can be filled from 0-80% in just 23 minutes. Unusually for a PHEV, it also offers bi-directional charging capability.

Filings with the Chinese government have shown that it will merge a 160bhp 1.5-litre petrol engine working with an electric motor powered by either a 21.2kWh or a 39.64kWh battery.

Those filings also revealed that the model will be 4815mm long and 1890mm wide, matching it closely with the BMW X5. 

New official pictures confirm that the XC70 reflects Volvo’s latest design trends, with a minimalist take on the firm’s classic design notes.

That includes a closed front grille in keeping with Volvo’s EVs, including an active grille shutter to optimise both aerodynamics and cooling systems.

Inside, the XC70 features a 12.in digital instrument display and a landscape-oriented 15.4in touchscreen similar to that in the EX90, plus a 91in augmented reality head-up display is optionally available.

Production of the XC70 has begun in China, where the model is now available to pre-order. No timeline has been given for its European launch.