Volvo bets on long range plug in hybrids as EV demand slows

Volvo is expanding its plug in hybrid strategy with models designed to offer much greater electric range. The company sees these vehicles as a bridge for drivers who are not yet ready to switch fully to electric cars, while aiming to make daily driving in electric mode practical.

Speaking to Autocar, Nicole Melillo Shaw, managing director of Volvo UK, said the brand would continue using plug in hybrids as a “stepping stone” for customers who are not yet prepared to move to fully electric vehicles. She stressed that this approach only works when the vehicles provide enough electric range for drivers to use them regularly in electric mode.

“In the past, when electric range was very low, drivers rarely charged their vehicles,” Melillo Shaw said. Volvo has therefore invested in increasing the electric range of its plug in hybrid models so customers can use them as intended.

The strategy marks a shift from the current generation of Volvo plug in hybrids. Models such as the XC60 and XC90 offer an estimated 32 to 35 miles of electric range under the EPA cycle.

The company has already introduced a more ambitious approach with the XC70. Launched in China as Volvo’s first long range plug in hybrid, the model can travel up to 200 kilometres, or 124 miles, in electric mode under the CLTC cycle. Its European launch is expected soon.

Volvo prepares further long range models

The XC70 may not be the only Volvo model to receive a substantial increase in electric range. The company is reportedly preparing a facelifted XC60 for 2027 with a larger battery.

According to information from Car and Driver and Automotive News cited in the source, the updated XC60 could almost triple its current electric range and approach 160 kilometres.

The move comes as automakers adjust their electrification strategies in response to slower than expected growth in electric vehicle adoption. Volvo is maintaining its electric vehicle ambitions while giving customers another route toward greater use of electric driving.

The company’s approach places greater emphasis on the electric capability of plug in hybrids rather than treating them only as vehicles that combine an internal combustion engine with a limited electric range.

Volvo maintains its full electrification commitment

Despite the renewed focus on plug in hybrids, Volvo has not abandoned its commitment to full electrification. Melillo Shaw said the company remains prepared for a faster transition to fully electric vehicles.

“If everyone decided to drive an electric car tomorrow, we are able to meet that demand,” she said.

For now, Volvo expects drivers who spend most of their time using their vehicles in electric mode to become more comfortable with the technology. The company is betting that longer electric range in plug in hybrids can help those customers eventually make the transition to fully electric vehicles.