2016 Volvo XC90 Targets 59 MPGe, 400 HP

2016 volvo xc90

Volvo recently released a few more powertrain details for its all-new SUV flagship—the 2016 Volvo XC90 T8—and the newest numbers are just as compelling as the previous ones: The automaker originally had announced that the sophisticated powertrain in the 2016 Volvo XC90 T8 would combine sports-car-like outputs of 400 hp and +472 lb.-ft. of torque with an all-electric driving range of roughly 25 miles; that's more than twice the electrically assisted range of a Toyota Prius Plug-in, plus, as mentioned, the Toyota product actually still uses a minimal amount of gasoline in its "electric" mode.

And now Volvo has helped quantify those advantages a bit further by revealing that the 2016 Volvo XC90 T8, with three rows of seating and a footprint right between that of a Nissan Pathfinder and Ford Explorer, will be able to run from 0-60 in a mere 5.9 seconds—just a tenth behind a BMW 328i. At the same time, the company then went on to indicate that the 2016 Volvo XC90 T8 would be able to achieve 59 MPGe "according to the U.S. driving cycle."

To do so, the 2016 Volvo XC90 T8 provides a powertrain that includes:

• A turbocharged, supercharged four-cylinder engine with direct injection and a 2.0-liter displacement to drive the front wheels
• A "crankshaft-mounted starter generator" that helps seamlessly manage electrical and internal-combustion power for a refined driving experience, while also pitching in to boost overall output as needed
• At the rear, a separate 82-hp electric motor that can be used for either all-electric travel or to provide electrically enhanced all-wheel drive
• A high-voltage 65-kW battery pack that has been engineered to fit in the central "tunnel" of the 2016 Volvo XC90 T8, where it doesn't impact cargo or passenger space

Added Dr. Peter Mertens, senior vice president for Research and Development of Volvo Car Group: “The XC90 T8 is a plug-in electric car, hybrid car and high-performance car rolled into one. The Drive-E engines already offer highly competitive performance versus the competition. The T8 takes it further into a leading position.”

Drivers can look for the 2016 Volvo XC90 T8 to reach dealerships in the spring of next year.