Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine in a class of its own at 49 g/km CO2

XC90 T8 Twin Engine is the world's most powerful and cleanest SUV

Delivers 49 g/km CO2, combined 407 hp*, 640 Nm, just 2.1 l/100 km and 43 km pure electric range

The XC90 T8 Twin Engine has exceeded all expectations when it comes to the no compromise equation of power and low fuel consumption, coupled with world class low emissions – and all in a 7-seat luxury SUV.

The improvement over the earlier announced figures were achieved thanks to the continuous innovation cycle at the Swedish company. The result of further tuning is a drop of 10 g/km from the initial prognosis, bringing fuel consumption down to 2.1 l/100 km while also adding horsepower. This makes the XC90 T8 Twin Engine the clear leader in its segment, with an exceptional combination of low fuel consumption, emissions and pure power.

"We have been working hard to earn our competitive edge and to give our customers the ultimate combination of performance and low fuel consumption. Our Twin Engine technology has enabled us to build on our heritage of efficient powertrain development in a completely new way. Thanks to our new scalable product architecture, and our world class four-cylinder engines, we have a clear and leading position," said Dr Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President Research & Development at Volvo Car Group.

No other SUV in this class can deliver 43 km of pure electric range, 0-100 km/h in 5.6 seconds and provide combined power of 407 hp – all in a 7 seat configuration.

The XC90 T8 Twin Engine will be available later this spring in Volvo showrooms.

Note to editors:
All figures are based on the NEDC driving cycle for hybrids.

* 320hp + 87 hp and 400 + 240 Nm combined 407hp and 640 Nm.

A driving mode for every need
The XC90 T8 Twin Engine can go from 0 to 100km/h in 5.6 seconds, delivering all the driving pleasure customers have come to expect from a Volvo SUV. But driving pleasure is only a fraction of what the XC90 T8 offers: the car has five different driving modes that deliver a range of performance and efficiency-enhancing characteristics. Using either a scroll wheel on the centre console or a touchscreen on the dashboard, drivers can choose from:

Hybrid: This is the default mode, suitable for everyday use. Here, the vehicle will automatically alternate between drawing power from the 2-litre, 4-cylinder Drive-E engine and the electric motor to deliver the best overall fuel consumption.

Pure electric: In this mode, when the high-voltage battery is fully charged, it serves as the car's sole energy source, powering the electric motor over the rear axle. The XC90 T8 has a range of more than 40km using just electricity, which covers the total distance many people drive in one day. And thanks to the regenerative braking system, this mode is super-efficient in the stop-and-go traffic of city environments. If more power is needed, the Drive-E combustion engine starts up automatically.

Power mode: Here, drivers get the combined performance of the combustion engine and the electric motor. On start-up, the SUV takes advantage of the electric motor's superior response and instant torque curve, while the combustion engine gets up to speed. This combination offers better torque at lower revs, equivalent to that of a large displacement engine like the V8.

AWD: This mode offers constant all-wheel drive on demand. The advantage of being able to select AWD manually is that the driver can use it when needed, or choose to save energy for later.

Save: If the battery is charged, this mode allows the driver to "freeze" the battery level and save it for later use with Pure Electric drive. On the other hand, if the battery is low, the driver can use the combustion engine to charge the battery to a certain level for later use with Pure Electric drive.

Volvo's all-new XC90 is one of the most compelling luxury crossovers available. Find out why.

T8 is Volvo-speak for an XC90 that is turbocharged, supercharged, AWD and a plug-in hybrid. All at the same time.

When it first unveiled its second-generation XC90 a year ago, Volvo said it would be going after premium buyers, those that normally shopped at brands like Audi and BMW. This was made clear when Volvo announced at the market debut that prices would start just under $50k, close to where similar offerings from the German brands start.

Well, it seems this hasn’t put off buyers as Volvo sold significantly more XC90s than it had expected. The automaker has received nearly 57,000 orders worldwide so far this year, outstripping forecast sales of 50,000 for the year.

To keep up with the demand, Volvo is running three shifts at its plant in Torslanda, Sweden. And here in the United States it’s also partnered with Enterprise Rent-A-Car to offer a subsidized rental program which allows buyers to drive the smaller XC60 while waiting for their new XC90.

What’s interesting is that most buyers—76 percent, in fact—are opting for the range-topping Inscription trim level. You have to pay at least $55,495 for this model, including destination charges.

In case you were wondering what it’s like to live with the new XC90, have a read of our recent Notes From The Driveway post.

The new XC90 marks the beginning of the latest chapter in Volvo’s history. It’s the first of a new generation of Volvo cars that incorporate advanced technologies, premium design and Volvo’s own modular platform. This platform will eventually spawn replacements for all existing Volvos sized from the S60 up. The next new model will be an S90 to replace the aging S80.

And here in the United States it’s also partnered with Enterprise Rent-A-Car to offer a subsidized rental program which allows buyers to drive the smaller XC60 while waiting for their new XC90