By Otsile Kadiege

Volvo Car South Africa has announced the local introduction of their new XC60 T8 Recharge plug-in hybrid as the Swedish luxury firm continues its shift towards electrification. The T8 Recharge is the top-spec model of the XC60 range and sits above the B5 and B6 mild-hybrid variants. The XC60 has been Volvo’s top-selling vehicle globally since 2009 and was awarded the World Car of the Year title in 2018.

XC60 T8 Recharge specs

Specification highlights include a panoramic sunroof, heated front seats, inductive smartphone charging and 19-inch alloys, while the R-Design variant gains sporty model-specific interior and exterior styling cues. Various options are also available for either derivative, including a Harman Kardon Premium Sound system, air suspension and wheels measuring up to 22 inches.

As with other derivatives in the XC60 range, the T8 Recharge features the firm’s latest Android-powered infotainment system, complete with built-in Google apps and services. Volvo was the first automaker to directly integrate its cars with Google Assistant-enabled devices. Furthermore, the number of services available through the Volvo Cars app increases thanks to the vehicle’s plug-in hybrid configuration, allowing owners to remotely precondition the cabin (without having to start the engine), track the battery’s charge levels and monitor electricity consumption, for example.

XC60 T8 Recharge Performance

Powering the Volvo XC60 T8 Recharge is a turbo and supercharged 2.0-litre petrol engine making 233kW/400Nm. It’s paired to Volvo’s Geartronic 8-speed automatic transmission and fitted with an electric motor on the rear axle producing 107kW/309Nm, and has a 18.8 kWh (gross capacity) lithium-ion battery. Volvo claims a combined fuel consumption of only 1.6 L/100 km and a 0-100 km/h sprint time of just 4.8 seconds.

Pricing

The all-wheel-drive plug-in hybrid newcomer is available in distinctive R-Design guise as well as in luxury Inscription form and pricing starts at R1,218,900.