How far can you travel in a large, plug-in hybrid family-hauler before the gas engine kicks in? Will you have to make trips to the pump often? We aim to find out the Volvo XC90 plug-in hybrids' real-world city and highway range.
As you probably know, at InsideEVs we test the range of every electric car we can. In fact, we have our own official, consistent 70 mph highway loop range test. It's pretty simple, we drive each EV at 70 mph until the battery dies. This way, you'll have a solid idea of how far you might get on a road trip before you have to stop and charge.
When it comes to PHEVs like the Volvo XC90 T8, you'll have no problem taking long highway road trips since the SUV has a gas engine. However, if you're traveling long-distance on the freeway, your electric range will be gone rather quickly, though you'll still be driving a vehicle that's relatively fuel-efficient for its size. According to the EPA, opting for the PHEV over the nonhybrid XC90 with all-wheel drive will save you some $550 per year in fuel costs.
Where PHEVs really shine (and save you lots of money) is in city driving. For people who mostly run quick errands around town and drop the kids off at school, the XC90 may not need its gas engine often. The EPA says you'll get 18 miles of range on electricity alone.
Kyle Conner tests the XC90 T8 with our usual loop-style 70-mph range test. However, he also runs it through our new city range test so you have some idea of how many miles of range you might get while running around town.
The city test results in 21 miles of range, which may be enough for a few quick errand trips throughout the day. This is especially true if you can plug in every time you stop for a time or arrive back home. The highway range test results are actually surprising, and in a good way. Kyle gets 18.2 miles of electric range at 70 mph.
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As always, check out the video for all the details. Then, let us know what you think of the Volvo XC90 T8? Would you buy a plug-in hybrid SUV? Start a conversation below.
Source: InsideEVs US (YouTube)